THE IMPACT OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION
Keywords:
formative assessment, teachers, students, natural sciences, educational technologyAbstract
The American pragmatist philosopher John Dewey once stated, “Education is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.” Education is, therefore, a fundamental human necessity an inseparable part of life that facilitates learning for a better existence, enabling individuals to navigate life’s challenges as equals. Student assessment, as one of the most critical components of the instructional process, serves as a key driver for fostering and enhancing student motivation. Drawing from professional experience as an educator, this research observes firsthand how formative assessment methods influence the engagement and motivation of primary school students. This study addresses a pivotal intersection within the fields of pedagogy, psychology, and docimology.
Derived from a broader doctoral dissertation, this study examines two hypotheses: hypotheses 1: Its application in primary school natural science education is positively correlated with student performance; Hypotheses 2: The integration of technology in the delivery of formative assessment significantly influences student outcomes. In this research, formative assessment and technological integration serve as the independent variables hypothesized to dictate student performance as the primary dependent variable.
To elaborate on the research objective, a mixed methods approach was employed. Three primary measuring instruments were applied: a standardized 22 item questionnaire (Tuan, L., Chin, C., & Shieh, H., 2005) to measure student motivation; a 10 item questionnaire (Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane‐Dick, D, 2006) to assess formative evaluation practices among teachers; and a 22 item questionnaire (Viberg, O., Khalil, M., & Baars, M., 2020) regarding technological integration. The study utilized a homogeneous random sampling method, encompassing 500 students and 100 teachers across eighteen urban and rural schools in the regions of Gjilan, Vitia, and Kamenica.
Hypotheses were tested using correlation analysis and linear regression. Results were compared with findings from (Palm, T., & Andersson, C., 2017) and (Ozan, C., & Kincal, R. Y., 2018). The findings reinforce the significance of formative assessment as an effective tool for enhancing student performance and underscore the importance of technological integrity in the teaching process. These conclusions provide a robust foundation for improving pedagogical practices and informing future research in the field of primary education.
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