An alternative way of assessing students' science understandings

While there are educators who advocated the advantages of teaching science with a constructivist view of learning, there is a lack of study that reports on and evaluates how this could be achieved in science classrooms. In particular, the implications of teaching science and the assessment of science learning with a constructivist view of learning have not been fully explored. Apart from the use of traditional paper and pencil tests, new or alternative modes of assessment have to be in place in order to reflect students’ conceptual development in the learning process. The study aims to explore an alternative method of assessing students; science learning which is consistent with a constructivist view of learning. In the present study, student-teachers taking a science module were invited to fill in a questionnaire rating their understanding on a range of science topics and their perceptions about science learning before the module commenced and after the module was completed. The pre- and post-perceptions about their science learning were identified and compared. Moreover, the quantitative data were related to the findings from the interviews as the students described their science learning experience. The paper concludes with recommendations about alternative practices in science assessment. Copyright © 2000 Hong Kong Institute of Education.