Policy into Practice: the effects of practical assessment on the teaching of science

Buchan, A. S.; Welford, A. G.

doi:10.1080/0263514940120104

Cited by 3 publications

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“…During the past 25 years, more and more countries have incorporated school-based assessment into public examinations (King & Brathwaite, 1991;Kellaghan & Greaney, 1992;Buchan & Welford, 1994). In 1978, a school-based assessment component called the Teacher Assessment Scheme (TAS) was introduced for the Hong Kong Advanced Level Chemistry course as an alternative to the traditional external practical examination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How science teachers' concerns about school‐based assessment of practical work vary with time: the Hong Kong experience

Cheung

Yip

2004

Research in Science & Technological Education

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School-based assessment of science students' practical skills has two important roles-as a complement to written papers in public examinations and as a catalyst for enriching the science curriculum in schools. This article describes a quantitative study of the concerns chemistry and biology teachers experience as they engage in the process of implementation of a school-based assessment scheme for practical work. A 23-item questionnaire was developed to measure five categories of teacher concern: evaluation, information, management, consequence and refocusing. The nature of each category of teacher concern is discussed in relation to innovation adoption and implementation. Data were collected from 400 chemistry and 412 biology teachers in Hong Kong. Teachers' information and management concerns lessened in intensity when they became experienced users of a school-based assessment scheme. However, teaching experience alone could not motivate teachers to think more about the impact of school-based assessment on student learning, their professional development in student assessment and the possible refinements in their school-based assessment scheme. Concerns-based interventions are suggested to help teachers grow professionally.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How science teachers' concerns about school‐based assessment of practical work vary with time: the Hong Kong experience

Cheung

Yip

2004

Research in Science & Technological Education

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Section: Attainment Target 1: Experimental and Investigative Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Curriculum and assessment in science education: the policy interface

Black

1995

International Journal of Science Education

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The paper describes how a new national curriculum and assessment system for England and Wales was set up in 1988 and the frequent changes which it has endured since then. Curriculum specification attempted to broaden the aims of science teaching and to specify sequences for learning. Assessment policy struggled with attempts to enhance formative assessment and with tensions between external tests and teachers' internal assessments. The story illustrates problems about progression in learning, about criterion referencing, about the weak state of formative assessment and about the optimum relationship between external testing and the formative and summative assessment roles of teachers. More fundamentally, it is suggested that, when asked to advise in a political process, professional educators may be tempted to propose innovations which are too radical to succeed within its imperatives of rapid and inexpensive change.

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“…The problems led some to argue that the target should be abandoned, and others to counter with affirmation of support for it (Hannon 1994). Teachers also had particular difficulties in conducting their assessments of this work (NFER/Brunel 1992, OFSTED 1993a,b, Buchan 1993 Table 2 for explanation of "Levels." The sub-sections (a), (b) and (c) correspond respectively to points (i), (ii) and (iii) in the extract from the programmes of study quoted in the text.…”

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confidence: 99%

1987 to 1995 — The Struggle to Formulate a National Curriculum for Science in England and Wales

Black

1995

Studies in Science Education

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The 1988 Education Reform Act ushered in a new era in education within Britain. Before this Act, the government had had no recent and direct control over the school curriculum. Now there is a prescribed curriculum in all main subjects, with associated national testing at four stages within the years of compulsory schooling. This article describes the evolution of this policy. The story starts with a sketch of the background to the 1988 legislation. There is then a first account of the formulation of assessment policy, given here because the formulation of the science standards can only be understood in the context of this policy. There then follows an account, with examples, of the three versions of the national curriculum for science which have appeared over the past seven years. In order to understand these more fully, the article then returns to assessment in order to trace the evolution of the policy and practice in this area over the same period of time. The closing section presents some reflections on the issues illustrated by this strange story.The account applies only to England and Wales. Although the word 'national' is used throughout, the legislative arrangements for Scotland and for Northern Ireland are different and are not discussed here.

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Policy into Practice: the effects of practical assessment on the teaching of science

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

How science teachers' concerns about school‐based assessment of practical work vary with time: the Hong Kong experience

How science teachers' concerns about school‐based assessment of practical work vary with time: the Hong Kong experience

Curriculum and assessment in science education: the policy interface

1987 to 1995 — The Struggle to Formulate a National Curriculum for Science in England and Wales

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