Assessment strategies for environmental education

The practice of teaching alone does not yield results, because it’s merely discussion, demonstrating or experimenting stuff in laboratory while assessment bring out results. In the context of the study, assessment is an “ongoing component of the national curriculum for evaluation of teaching process and to keep record of continuous progress in the learning process. Moreover, this assessment is conducted using formative and summative strategies. (Namibia, MoE. 2017, p. 3). This means that there is not a special way for assessment of environmental issues nonetheless integral part of general assessment frameworks in science education. On the other hand, the nature of EE vary across subjects and education systems, especially the formative assessment part (Tal et al. 2000, Heimlich, 1999). To this end, subject teacher content knowledge and many other factors play a hypercritical role for incorporation.

Formative assessment therefore is another dimension of teaching which make it more goal oriented. It is therefore defined as a process, “where a teacher use evidence of learning in order to transform teaching to meet immediate learning needs, minute by minute and day by day” (Wylie, 2015) while according to Sabel (2015) it’s a “classroom practice during teaching and learning that places students

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ideas and thinking as basis for instruction”. And lastly, “teacher recognizing and responding to student learning in order to enhance learning during the lesson” (Cowie, 1999).

Definitions above provides stepping blocks to understanding the key words about the purpose of teaching and learning process. Most lessons do not move smoothly as planned by teacher alone since learners play a part too, meaning different conceptions, ideas need to be evident, recognized and responded by the planner/teacher. Engaging formative assessment “increases significant gain in pupil science learning” (Ruiz-Primo & Furtak, 2006) but since pupils read or experience a lot about environmental issues from various sources, a teacher need to respond clearly through” interactive formative assessment techniques to individual or small groups” (Cowie,1999).

In order to include environmental issues in assessment the teacher should employ formative assessment strategies which engage the pupils. For instance,” clarifying misconceptions, evoke discussions, give feedback and empower students to own the learning process and use them as instructional resources”

(Wylie, 2015). Since lessons should not necessarily be smoothly, through formative assessment the teacher must exercise the above strategies because learning is meant for pupils. The main task of the teacher then, is to make known the pupil’s ideas, evaluate them and craft next steps for helping pupil to learn” (Sabel, 2015). However, the teacher should view this process as teaching-learning by listening or recognizing pupil and respond in appropriate manner because the focus is on the learning process. In order to evaluate and give pupil direction of environmental issues for instance, teachers would have to be knowledgeable about such issues as studies argue that” teacher subject matter knowledge allowed them to be productive” (Sabel, 2015).

Formative assessment takes the form of questioning, brainstorming and even writing pre-exercise to determine level of understanding. It is evident in numerous studies that formative assessment takes different strategies such as questioning, listening, oral assessment, interactions, and reflections are among common practices” (Mckeown-Ice, 2009, Singh, 2011, Mortari, 2003, Tal, 2005). In addition, in Physical science of Namibia syllabus, teachers ought to observe general participation in practical and investigations to determine further areas of need” (Namibia, MoE. 2015). Formative assessment strategy may take different forms which might be informal or formal as Cowie (1999) describe “planned formative assessment focuses on how information is collected and interpreted while interactive formative assessment does notice, recognize and responds to pupils”. The later, take place right during the lesson for immediate need while the former has formal assessment characteristics since it determines

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real issues e.g. identify slow learner and seek intervention. To identifying a slow learner thereof require some evidence for more professional counselling services to be offered which make planned formative assessment to be formal thus differ from the genuine formative features.

On other hand, summative assessment as mentioned earlier is commonly known as “end of year examinations or test which produces promotional marks and is always norm referenced” (Reddy in Gawe et al. 2004, Namibia, MoE. 2014). The form of assessment such as test or examination (local, national, international assessments) differ significantly in various context and grades. In the case of Physical science in Namibia it forms 60% of overall weighted marks” (Namibia, MoE. 2015). Teachers conduct this form of assessment by way of recorded orals, but often in written formats and typical example are national examinations for matric or high school conducted in various countries. According to (Dori, 2003, ASE, 2006) this type of assessment is too standardized and require accountability which interferes with assessment towards student centerd”. In addition, it’s criticized for limiting student learning and demotivate pupils in science education. On the opposite note, summative assessment evaluate overall student performance in the subject (ASE, 2006). Although it evaluates overall student performance it is most influenced and affected by socioeconomic status of individual school/pupil.

Supporting this idea, OECD (2016) which is a large scale assessment type, schools with high social and economic infrastructure performed well compared to those with low.

In both assessment strategies, the objectives is mastery of “specific competencies in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes” (Namibia, MoE. 2017). Some other assessment strategies such as diagnostic assessment fall under formative while formal assessment is part of summative assessment. However, the well-known continuous assessment in Namibia education system has features of formative and summative assessment” (Namibia, MoE. 2017, Namibia, MoE. 2014). In all cases environmental education includes many science subjects, therefore teaching and assessment strategies must encourage pupils to care about where they live and act to improve their environments” (Tal, 2005, Tal, Dori, &

Lazarowitz, 2000). Only when pupils solve real world problems will they appreciate the relevance of learning about environment issues in their lives.

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3 SCIENCE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION