Formative assessment mediated by digital technologies in hybrid educational contexts

Abstract

The article examines how teachers in upper basic education at public schools in the Orellana canton (Ecuadorian Amazon) integrate assessment for learning with digital tools in settings that combine face-to-face and distance activities. Using a mixed-methods, descriptive–correlational design, quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to teachers and students, while qualitative information was obtained from semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and documentary analysis of lesson plans and assessment instruments. Findings indicate that, despite regulatory restrictions on mobile device use in basic education and significant connectivity gaps, teachers frequently employ tools such as online forms, quiz platforms, and digital portfolios to gather evidence of learning and provide feedback, although these tools are still largely used with a summative orientation. Results also reveal positive associations between higher self-reported levels of teachers’ digital competence and a greater diversity of technology-mediated formative assessment strategies, as well as differences between urban and rural schools regarding the type and intensity of platform use. The discussion connects these findings with national competency-based curriculum policies and the Student Assessment Guidelines, underscoring the need to strengthen teacher training in digital literacy and formative assessment, and to develop institutional guidelines for coherent management of assessment in hybrid modalities. The study concludes that technology-enhanced formative assessment can improve the quality and equity of learning in Amazonian contexts, provided that infrastructure constraints, assessment culture, and sustained professional support for teachers are jointly addressed.