Role of technology in promotting formative assessment practices in sciences classes
Résumé
This paper reports on two case studies, one in France and one in Ireland carried out as part of FaSMEd, an EU project funded under the FP7 scheme, on the use of technology in formative assessment (FA) classroom practices in mathematics and science. The paper focuses on the role and impact of technology in supporting FA practices in science teaching and learning. The process in this research consisted of a cycle of design, implementation and analysis with teachers, where activities were planned in professional development sessions, carried out by teachers in classrooms and reviewed in meetings both with other teachers and individually. Work with teachers and students centred on exploring and modifying FA practices. Data for the research were collected using the following methods: semi-structured interviews with all teachers (before and after the implementation of a lesson); semi-structured interviews with students with an emphasis on a Q-Sort activity; analysis of video data and field notes from classroom observations; and questionnaires distributed to all students participating in the study regarding their views of science teaching, learning and assessment. The research work within the project leads to the elaboration of a three-dimensional model taking into account the FA strategies, the properties of technologies and the role of actors. This model has been used for lesson analysis and completes the variety of viewpoints coming from qualitative interviews analysed using MAXQDA software. Q-Sort data analysed using PQMethod software, video data using a whole-to-part inductive approach and the questionnaire data analysed using SPSS. Technology helped teachers to enrol in a complete FA process instead of considering some moments, enhancing their understanding of the process. The model used in this research highlights not only the role of the teacher in FA but also the role of peers and the students. Several of the class activities resulted in shifting ownership and agency towards students thereby activating them as the owners of their own learning.