Assessing the quality of science teachers' practices in employing formative assessment as a learning tool to enhance children's primary science learning

Abstract

This study examined the quality of science teachers' practices in employing formative assessment as a learning tool to enhance children's primary science learning. The research sample consisted of 30 randomly selected male and female teachers from Jordanian primary schools during the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. To assess these practices, a verbal rating scale was developed as a classroom observation instrument, incorporating ten criteria for assessing the quality of formative assessments. Each criterion included several performance indicators, totaling 38 indicators that represent formative assessment practices. The findings revealed that the overall quality of these practices was consistently low, with all practices classified within the "low" practice degree. This indicates a significant gap in adherence to formative assessment quality standards in science learning environments. Additionally, non-parametric analysis showed no significant correlation between the quality of these practices and the teachers' gender or teaching experience. The study concludes with a set of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of formative assessment practices in science learning environments.