AN ANALYSIS OF SCIENCE EDUCATION EVALUATION　PROCESS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the actual condition of the evaluation process utilized in science education subjects at the elementary school level. The data about the evaluation process analyzed were extracted from practically designed curricula found in the research papers and books published all over Japan. Through this study, the researchers were able to classify the domains and methods of evaluation into some categories. The purpose of analyzing the objectives and the learning activities was to clarify the geometrical structure of the evaluation process with reference to "The Hierarchical Networks of Instructional Units Using ISM (Interpretive Structural Modeling) Method." The results are as follows: (1) The domains and the methods of formative evaluation of scientific knowledge and thinking were evaluated using responses from notebooks as well as actions. Process skills and scientific attitude were evaluated by using notebooks and observation. During the final evaluation, the paper-and-pencil test was commonly used in every domain and essay test for the scientific attitude. (2) The structure of the evaluation process can be classified into 4 types. The structure of the least type represents a tree from consisting of some entrances and one exit. The others were equivalent. An assessment that is done every hour could promote the development in the formative evaluation domains. In the course of the teaching-learning process, the attitude towards nature found at the entrance of the process skills and the logical thinking which develop the scientific knowledge found at the exit were evaluated.