ABSTRACT
We can find a multitude of documentation in present-day early childhood education (ECE). The chapter considers how assessment is interwoven in different forms of documentation and what this assessment is about. It discusses to what extent the different forms of documentation and assessment can, on the one hand, empower, support and strengthen children, parents and professionals. The chapter examines the extent to which the different forms of documentation and assessment can weaken, mislead and restrict these actors. Formative assessment and summative assessment are concepts that often appear in educational literature when the appraisal of knowledge and education are discussed. Self-assessments can be related to formative assessments and meta-cognitive theory, which underlines the ability of the individuals to consider and assess their own learning. The documentation can also include personal assessments, which are common in child portfolios and in IDPs.
