Dialogue as the Foundation for Ethical Communication in Evaluation

Abstract

Some of the modern discourse on the significance of evaluation as a social practice is considered in this article, as are several paradigmatic views on the ethics of grading in recent decades. The objective is to arrive at a broad sense of education evaluation by going beyond its instrumental significance and attempting to understand it as a relationship that involves dialogue. Based on that perspective, two related questions are posed and developed: In what sense is it possible to speak of dialogue in grading and how dialogue can constitute an ethical basis for grading in education? The importance of the educational encounter between the evaluator and the person being evaluated is underscored, based on the principles of deliberation, inclusion and participation, recognizing the teacher’s important role as well as respectful consideration for the student. The difference, authority and asymmetry found in the teacher-student relationship are shown to be no obstacle to establishing reciprocal relations based on dialogue. The main conclusion is that grading based on dialogue requires a set of communication skills that are cognitive and affective in nature, such as readiness to listen, willingness to give and receive criticism and to admit one’s mistakes, confidence and appreciation.