Physics and chemistry middle school teachers’ conceptions and practices about assessment

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to characterize conceptions that Portuguese teachers of Physics and Chemistry have about learning assessment and how teachers incorporate assessment in their teaching practices within a curriculum reorganization. Three case studies of teachers with less than three years of service were carried out. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews, observations of lessons and documents supplied by the participants. This study’s findings indicate two conceptions of assessment: assessment of learning and assessment for learning. One of the participants shows a conception of assessment of learning, valuing a summative viewpoint of assessment. The other teachers revealed a conception of assessment for learning emphasizing a formative perspective of assessment, that as the role of regularizing and promoting improvement of learning. Relatively to the teachers’ practices, it seems clear that the assessment criteria are implicit, the feedback is sporadic and the students have a reduced role in the assessment process. All of the teachers demonstrate difficulties in assessment of attitudinal and procedural competences. Only one of the participants elaborates observation with registration to assess these competences. The tests constitute the main assessment instrument in the teachers' lessons, what is coherent with a teaching and learning conception that still remains traditional.