Science teachers’ infusion of peer assessment in primary school / Usha Nair Tangaraju

Usha Nair , Tangaraju (2020) Science teachers’ infusion of peer assessment in primary school / Usha Nair Tangaraju. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

Infusing peer assessment strategies into science lessons have the potential to enhance learner autonomy. Learner autonomy is an important attribute as an educational outcome. Nevertheless, research indicates that teachers do not infuse peer assessment strategies that teachers perceive as challenges. Thus, this study examines how primary science teachers infuse peer assessment strategies and to investigate the challenges these teachers face when infusing these strategies. The exploratory qualitative research design was utilized. The sample of this study were three primary school science teachers. These teachers were chosen because of their willingness to participate in the study. Data collection techniques employed were classroom observations and interview sessions. Four classroom observations were done for each teacher. The data was analysed using episodes based on the classroom discourse where there was indication of infusing peer assessment strategies. The challenges of infusing peer assessment were obtained from the interview data. This data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the three teachers’ infusion of peer assessment strategies lies along a continuum. These infusion practices were labelled ‘impressive’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘inferior’. In the ‘impressive’ category, teachers allowed students to ask their peers questions and provided a safe environment to do so. In contrast, the practices in the ‘inferior’ category showed teachers’ classroom management as poor when they infused a certain kind of strategy. The teacher became the knowledge provider as teachers took over control without providing ample time for the student to immerse in the process. In the ‘intermediate’ category, the teachers did prepare resources to help students to mark their peer’s work independently, but the teachers were unsure of how to facilitate the process. The data obtained from the interview sessions elicited for four different challenges: Perceived pressure of time and work, Reluctance to change, Language proficiency and Routine and boredom. For example, the teachers did not believe that the infusion of peer assessment strategies could be sustainable because of the high demands of external examinations and stakeholders. Moreover, they claimed challenges such as non-active involvement from students, time constraints and wide syllabus may hamper the infusion of peer assessment strategies. The implication of this study is this study has highlighted the evidence of how much infusion of the peer assessment strategies are taking place in the classroom as well as the challenges teachers face in infusing these strategies. This should provide policy makers with relevant data when taking the next step in the school assessment reformation. Moreover, since peer assessment is a multifaceted enterprise, a more collaborative approach to infuse peer assessment strategies should be given priority. The move to effective peer assessment is not simple for teachers and students but is worthwhile and necessary for twenty-first-century learning.

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