Assessment has been shown to be crucial in the teaching work as it impacts the students´ strategies for learning. Formative assessments, in particular, have been identified to strengthen the students´ learning as they help the students to identify how far they have got in their learning process and how they can achieve higher levels of knowledge. In order to understand the students´ experiences of involvement in their own learning processes and in the classroom dynamics, a series of formative assessments were planned and carried out in conjunction with a five-week chemistry teaching. The evaluation of the assessments were based on teacher´s feedback, self-assessments and peer-responses. The study also aimed on getting a better understanding of the students´ experiences of different forms of assessment. The data was collected from a whole class of twenty-six students in grade eight in the form of responses to a questionnaire (with open questions), and qualitative interviews with four students (stratified selection based on gender and grade, followed by a random selection based on availability). Most of the students had a positive experience of the formative assessments as they could figure it out how much they have learnt and what needs to be done as the next step. They appreciated using more detailed assessment matrices to identify the required knowledge and the expected capacities. About one third of the students found the self- and peer-assessments useful. However, the majority expressed uncertainties in such assessments and showed a strong tendency to rely on the teacher´s assessments. The students highlighted different aspects of involvement in the classroom dynamics and for their own learning processes, more indirectly. There was a strong tendency to focus on the effects of formative assessments on the improvments of the grades. The results cast light on the necessity of creating a permissive classroom environment, open discussions and more collaborative activities in order to set the basis for a class where everyone contributes to his/her own learning as well as his/her classmates. This paves the way to achieve higher levels of students´ involvement in the teaching work. The study also shows the importance of continuity in the use of formative assessments and the time aspect, as it allows the students to gain experience and the teacher to adjust the assessments and use them as both teaching tool and the basis for grading. To be able to apply the formative assessments to support the students to achieve higher levels of knowledge, it is important to create a common understading of the learning processes among a group of teachers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:ltu-78519 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Haei, Mahsa |
| Publisher | Luleå tekniska universitet, Institutionen för konst, kommunikation och lärande |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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