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Improving Quality of Science Teacher Training in European Cooperation
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E-learning
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Techniques for Assessing Learner Attitudes, Values and self-awareness
Techniques for Assessing Learner Attitudes, Values and self-awareness
- To understand constructivist approach of assessing learner attitudes, values and self-awareness;
- To develop an openness to new ideas;
- To help prospective teachers better understand and promote the development of students´ attitudes and values;
- To develop constructivist manner of teaching;
- To develop respect for others.
In constructivist classroom students need to be actively involved in their own learning. This constructivist approach includes four types of knowledge and some techniques and strategies for monitoring understanding. The types of knowledge are: (1) self-knowledge, including an understanding of one´s own learning preferences, abilities, and constructivist style; (2) knowledge of the learning tasks; (3) knowledge and prior understanding and (4) knowledge and understanding of useful constructivist strategies.
Students often have pre-existing opinions about the material that they will encounter in the lessons, and those opinions – when they are unsupported by evidence – can distort or block the instructional message. By uncovering student opinions on specific issues , teacher can better gauge where and how to begin teaching about those issues – and what the roadblocks are likely to be. Teachers can use this technique to prepare students to discuss a controversial issue or to assess their opinions after they have studied the material. Polling can also be used as a pre- and post-assessment device, to determine whether and how students´ opinions have changed in response to class discussions and assignments.
ExampleTeacher previews the material that should be teach, looking for questions or issues about which students may have opinions that could affect their learning. Teacher chooses one or two issues. Teacher explains the exercise to students and gives them a couple minutes to respond. The teacher used the following statements to assess students´ views on nuclear energy:
If you found a great house at a great price, close to work and schools, that was within five kilometrs of a nuclear power plant, I would (circle only one):
- Be absolutely willing to consider buying it, and not worried about the plant;
- Be somewhat willing to consider buying it, but concerned about the plant;
- Be very sceptical about buying it, and worried about the plant;
- Be absolutely unwilling to consider it because of the plant.
In many instances, individuals who are generally self-confident may lack confidence in their abilities or skills in specific context – for example, in their skills or ability to speak in public. When teachers know the students´ level of confidence, and what affects that confidence, they can more effectively structure assignments that will build confidence.
ExampleThis survey is to help both of us understand your level of confidence in your science skills. Circle the most accurate response for each.
| Kinds of Problem | Rate | Rate | Rate | Rate |
| Understanding of electric charge | None | Low | Medium | High |
| Understanding of electric current | None | Low | Medium | High |
| Using Ohm´s Law in problem solving | None | Low | Medium | High |
| To create electrical circuits | None | Low | Medium | High |
| Comparing electric circuits | None | Low | Medium | High |
| Using electrical power and energy in society | None | Low | Medium | High |
Interest/Knowledge/Skills Checklists are brief, teacher-made versions of the commercial interest and skills inventories. Teachers create checklists of topics covered in science course. Students rate their interest in the various topics, and assess their levels of skill or knowledge in this topics. Teacher lets students know why he/she asking them to assess their interests, skills, knowledge. Students need to know that their answers may have an influence on the teaching.
ExamplePlease, circle the letter after each item below that best represents your level of skill or knowledge in relation to that topic. The letters stand for the following responses:
B ... Basic skills and knowledge
F ... Functionally adequate skills and knowledge
A ... Advanced level of skills and knowledge
| Energy and work | N | B | F | A |
| Swinging energy | N | B | F | A |
| Designing own experiment | N | B | F | A |
| Temperature and heat | N | B | F | A |
| Thermal Pollution | N | B | F | A |
| Measuring thermal energy | N | B | F | A |
| Using thermal energy on the move | N | B | F | A |
| Creating convection currents | N | B | F | A |
| Using heat to do work | N | B | F | A |
Self-assessment prompts students to describe their general approaches to learning and understanding. Teacher develops two or three questions that will assess students´ students abilities. Students can discuss in groups their answers.
Example- In the topic Waves, Light, and Sound list the terms which were the easier for your understanding.
- In the topic Waves, Light, and Sound list the terms which were the most difficult for your understanding.
- In the topic Waves, Light, and Sound list the experiments you can use.
- Which technique for assessing learner attitudes and values seems for you to be the most useful in your teaching?
- Try to choose one of the presented technique and suggest some questions related to the topic you are going to teach in the class.
- Design small project for assessing students´ attitudes and values.
- Discuss your project in your working group.
In constructivist classroom students need to be actively involved in their own learning. This constructivist approach includes some techniques and strategies for monitoring understanding.
Mintzes,J.J., Wanderee, J.H., Novak,J.D. (Ed) Assessing Science Understanding. A Human Constructivist View. San Diego: Academic Press, 2000. ISBN 0-12-498365-0.
Angelo T.A., Cross, K.P. Classroom Assessment Techniques. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publisher, 1993. Second Edition. ISBN 1-55542-500-3.