Abstract:

In this study, teachers’ (science and classroom) and pre-service teachers’ (science and classroom) levels of beliefs and practices about assessment in science were examined. “Belief about assessment in science” (BAS) and “practice about assessment in science” (PAS) were investigated according to formative, summative, alternative and traditional assessments. The study was carried out using survey research method. The sample consisted of 527 people, 321 of whom were pre-service teachers from five different state universities, and 206 were teachers working in primary and secondary schools. The research data were collected through “Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Scale about Assessment in Science” (TBPAS). For the same items of the TBPAS, it was made as two directions (BAS and PAS). Findings show that there is no significant difference among the belief levels of science teachers, classroom teachers, pre-service science teachers, and pre-service classroom teachers while there is a significant difference among their practice levels in science assessment. Results indicate that there is no relationship between teachers’ professional seniority and BAS scores, and no relationship between their professional seniority and PAS. Results show that there is no relationship between pre-service teachers’ academic grade point averages (AGPA) and BAS scores while the relationship between PAS and AGPA scores of the pre-service teachers is found to be low, but significant. Another result of the research is that teachers and pre-service teachers’ levels of belief about assessment in science are significantly higher than their practice about assessment in science.

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