Investigation of primary students’ opinions about using performance assessment in science and technology course with respect to the different variables

The aim of study is to determine opinions of students about using performance assessment in science and technology course with respect to the gender, grade level, graduation type of students’ mother and father variables. So, in this study, firstly; it was investigated that what is the overall profile of students’ opinions about using performance assessment in science and technology course. Then, it was examined that whether there are effects students’ gender, grade level, graduation type of students’ mother and father variables on their opinions about using performance assessment in science and technology course. Therefore, results of this study were collected five categories. These categories were called as effects of performance assessment on students, positive and negative opinions of students on performance assessment, encounter difficulties to preparing performance task, opinions of students on portfolio, effects of students’ gender grade level, graduation type of students’ mother and father variables on their opinions related to performance assessment.

Effects of performance assessment on students: One of the results in this study, students thinks that performance assessment have positive effects on them. Students believe that performance assessment developed presentation, inquiry, creativity skills of students and help to effective learning to topics. Besides, it was seen that students agreed some expression such as students like preparing performance task; performance assessment was provided advantage themselves, students have great pleasure from preparing performance task and lesson used performance task arouse interest to students. Students have these opinions related to performance assessment are possible. When it was investigate many studies in literature, these studies were revealed that performance assessment help students to improvement of writing skill, self-expression skill and presentation skill (Kubiszyn and Borich, 1993; Khattri, Reve and Kane, 1998; Airasian 2001; Çepni, 2007; Metin, 2008) inquiry skills (Khattri, Reve and Kane, 1998; Morgil et al., 2004; Metin, 2008), problem solving skill (Linn and Baker, 1996; Madaus, 1994; Resnick and Resnick, 1992; Shepard, 2000; Wiggins, 1993; Baron, 1991), science process skill (Airasian, 2001; Morgil et al., 2004; Çepni et al., 2005) and high level thinking skill (Bransford; 1979; Logan, 1996; Linn and Gronlund, 2000; Çepni et al., 2005; Kutlu et al., 2008). Furthermore, it were expressed that performance assessment is effective concept learning (Slater, 1996; Morgil et al., 2004; Çepni et al., 2005; Çepni, 2007; Metin, 2008) and overcoming misconceptions (Morgil et al., 2004; Metin, 2008). There are many studies in national and international literature was similar to results of this study. According to result of this study, it is said that students think that performance assessment is positive effect to improvement of students.

Positive and negative opinions of students on performance assessment: According to means score in table 2, It can be understood that that students like preparing of performance task, think that performance tasks are very useful, enjoy when performance task prepare and engage attention course using performance tasks. Besides it is determined that students are disagree some negative expressions related to performance assessment including “I dislike courses which were wanted to prepare performance tasks”, “Performance tasks are waste of time”, “Performance tasks are very expensive” and “I slog on obtaining computers and internet when performance tasks are prepared”. According to these expressions, it is said that students have positive believes about performance assessment. Similarly Khattri, Reve and Kane, (1998); Adanalı (2008); Metin (2008) and Orhan (2007) revealed that students have positive attitude, students believe that performance assessment is useful for them, students willing to preparing performance tasks. It is understood from students’ respond that students have not negative opinions or a few negative opinions about performance assessment. Although students have not negative opinions about performance assessment in this study, many researchers expressed disadvantage of performance assessment such as performance assessment is very expensive, is very difficult, takes too much time, is waste of time is not appropriate for each students, especially learning capacity are very poor and using forms are excessive (Airasian, 2000; Airasian 2001; Linn and Gronlund, 2000; Çepni et al., 2005; Kutlu et al, 2008, Çepni, 2007; Metin and Demiryürek, 2009). It can be said that teachers are important influence that students in the study have not any negative opinions about performance assessment. Certainly, only students have positive belief regarding performance assessment is not enough to application of performance assessment in the classroom. It was necessary that teachers belief to positive effects of performance assessment on students.

Encounter difficulties to preparing performance task: According to means score in table 3, It was determined that students’ response some attributions in encounter difficulties to preparing performance task subscale such as “I don’t identify anybody to help me for preparing performance tasks”, “Preparing performance tasks embarrass recreational with friends and family”, “I don’t attain necessary equipments related to performance task” and “I don’t find topics wanted to preparing performance tasks in internet resource” are in disagree category. According to this result, it can be said that students have any problems when prepared performance assessment. But in the literature, students were not prepared performance task. Also, there are some studies, it asserted that mother and fathers of students prepared performance tasks of students (Metin, 2010; Adanalı, 2008; Kutlu et al., 2008)

Opinions of students on portfolio: In the study, it was seen that students have some positive and negative opinions about portfolio. Students expressed that portfolio provide to developed responsibility sense, monitored self-development and all of studies. Similarly, Birgin, (2003), Adanalı (2008) Airasian, (2001), Metin, (2010), Birgin (2008), Birgin and Baki, (2007) revealed that portfolio provide to develop responsibility sense of students and monitor peer and self-development. It was determined that students have negative opinions together with positive opinions about portfolio. Students think that portfolio is not decrease example anxiety of students. On the contrary in this study this result is found, there are some study revealed that portfolio is decrease example anxiety of students (Birgin, 2003; Kutlu et al., 2008; Çepni, 2007, Metin, 2010; Airasian, 2001; Linn and Gronlund, 2000). This conditions result from application of portfolio ineffectively in the classroom. Although teachers said to portfolio is used to assess students’ development, teachers are continue to old customs and assess to students as summary assessment. This result was supported to studies of Adanalı (2008), Algan, (2008), Kanatlı (2008); Metin (2010); Metin and Demiryürek, (2009); Güven and Eskitürk, (2007).

Another negative opinion of students about portfolio, students were expressed that it was difficult to save performance tasks in portfolio. Actually, it is difficult that students save many performance tasks in portfolio. Many researchers were supported to this expression. Birgin, (2003), Kutlu et al., (2008), Çepni, (2007), Metin, (2010), Airasian, (2001), Linn and Gronlund, (2000), Kan, (2007) were denoted that one of the restriction of portfolio is difficult to save performance task in a term. There are some researchers to suggest for electronic portfolio in order to elimination of this restriction (Birgin, 2003; Korkmaz and Kaptan, 2005; Kutlu et al., 2008).

Effects of students’ gender, grade level, graduation type of students’ mother and father variables on students’ opinions: There are significant differences between the positive opinions of students on performance assessment sub-dimensions in terms of gender. According to the scores, female teachers have a little bit more positive opinions towards performance assessment than males. This conditions result from achievement of female students preparing performance task more than male students. This result was supported by Zhang et al (1999). This study was revealed that female students more achievement than male students when performance task were prepared in the classroom.

According to test scores in the term of students’ grade level, there are statistically difference in all sub-scales of questionnaire. Source of the difference in four sub-scales expect opinions of students on portfolio sub-scale arise from between students in fourth and sixth, seventh and eighth grade level. This result showed that students in fourth grade have more positive opinions than the others students. Besides it can be said that all students in different grade level have same opinions on portfolio. In addition to, Source of the difference in four sub-scales expect encounter difficulties to preparing performance task sub-scale arise from between students in fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth grade level. This result showed that students in fifth grade have more positive opinions than the others students. Besides it can be said that all students in different grade level same encounter difficulties to preparing performance. As seen results of study, it can be said that students in fourth and fifth grade level have more positive opinions on performance assessment than students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade level and students in sixth grade level have more positive opinions on performance assessment than students in seventh and eighth grade level. It can be understood from the results that when experiences of students regarding performance assessment are increase, opinions of students about performance assessment are increaser positively. This result was supported by Airasian (2001) and Metin (2010). These researchers were expressed that when performance assessment was applied consistently in the classroom, students developed positive opinions towards performance assessment and begun to enjoy performance assessment. In this regard, it can effect to students enjoying of students on performance assessment can be effected that experience of students in fourth and fifth grade level towards performance assessment are anymore than others students.

It was determined that in the term of students’ mother graduate type, there is statistically different significant in opinions of students on portfolio sub-scale. Source of the difference in the sub-scale arise from between students mothers graduate from university and students’ mother graduates from elementary, middle, high schools and unschooled. Besides, source of the difference in the sub-scale arise from between students graduate from high schools and students’ mother graduate from middle schools. Students’ mother graduate from university have more positive opinions on portfolio than the others students. Furthermore, students’ mother graduates from high schools have more positive opinions on portfolio than the students’ mother graduates from middle schools. In other words, the students whose parents’ educational level is high give more importance to their portfolio file than other students do. It is possible that the ıf mothers, responsible for their children development, are conscious, they have positive contribution. The conscious mothers support their children to do homework and try guiding as well as they helps their children in every field. It is believed that this situation contributes to success belief of children and flourishing positive attitude towards the performance tasks.

According to scores in the term of students’ father graduate type; there is statistically difference in negative opinions of students on performance assessment sub-scale. Source of the difference in NOSP sub-scale arise from between students’ father graduate from middle schools and students’ father graduate from, high schools and University(p<0.05). According to those findings it is seen that the students whose fathers graduated from university or high-school have more positive thoughts than the students whose fathers graduated from key stage 2, do. It is stated that ıf the parents requiring active role in both the performance assessment approach and the traditional assessment approach, undertake necessary responsibilities, they will make contribution to student achievement (Birgin, 2003, Çepni, 2007; Kutlu et al, 2008). It is thought that the students whose fathers graduated from university, are such directed more consciously and supported by their fathers that they have less negative thoughts about the performance assessment than the other students.