kriteeriperusteiseen

Kriteeriperusteinen is a Finnish term describing a method of evaluation or decision-making that relies on predefined criteria rather than relative ranking to peers. The form kriteeriperusteiseen appears in phrases such as kriteeriperusteiseen arviointiin (to criterion-based assessment) and kriteeriperusteinen arviointi (criterion-based assessment). It denotes an approach where judgments are made according to explicit, objective criteria tied to learning objectives and standards.

In education, kriteeriperusteinen arviointi uses clear, observable criteria that describe the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students are expected to demonstrate. Criteria are often organized into rubrics or descriptor scales that outline different performance levels, such as starting, developing, and advanced, or numerical scores. Assessments judge whether each criterion has been met, and feedback highlights specific strengths and areas for improvement.

Implementation typically involves aligning criteria with curriculum goals, training teachers to use rubrics consistently, and incorporating self- and peer-assessment to support learning. When well designed, it promotes transparency, fairness, and accountability, and provides actionable feedback to guide student progress.

Challenges can include the time required to develop and maintain high-quality criteria, ensuring reliability across different assessors, and avoiding excessive focus on easily observable skills at the expense of more complex competencies. It is often contrasted with norm-referenced assessment, which ranks students relative to one another.

In many educational systems, including Finland, kriteeriperusteinen arviointi is encouraged as a student-centered approach that supports mastery learning and formative feedback while meeting summative assessment requirements.