Shifting Malaysian primary science teachers' assessment literacy for a world class education

Sathasivam, R.V. and Daniel, E.G.S. (2011) Shifting Malaysian primary science teachers' assessment literacy for a world class education. In: 1st International Conference on World-Class Education 2011, 5-6 December 2011, University of Malaya.

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Abstract

One of the challenges for science teachers in the 21st Century is to ensure high standards in the process of student assessment. Assessment literacy is important because teachers spend up to 50% (Plake, 1993) of time in their profession assessing students. Assessment literacy does not only cover the technical aspects of testing but has moved on to encompass almost all interactions that teachers have with their students, school authorities and parents. This paper will describe part of bigger study conducted to ascertain the assessment literacy of selected Malaysian primary science teachers. Using qualitative data collection techniques such as teacher journals and interviews with jive primary school science teachers, the findings showed that teachers' knowledge on assessment literacy stemmed more from the behaviourist perspective and that external examinations still dominated what drives teachers' ideas about their practices. It was also found that in-depth knowledge on how to conduct formative assessment practices were limited. The study indicated clear implications on how teachers would conduct their assessment practices in their classrooms and how their knowledge on assessment would affect their students' understanding of scientific concepts. Based on these findings, how primary science teachers' assessment literacy can be shifted to a world class level is put forward.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Assessment students' understanding; Literacy; Formative assessment; Theoretical knowledge
Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Divisions: Faculty of Education
Depositing User: Mr. Mohd Samsul Ismail
Date Deposited: 16 Jun 2015 08:22
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2017 03:49
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/13594

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