Development and Evaluation of Assessment Criteria for Student Hypothesis in Zambian Science Education

抄録

This study addresses the critical need to enhance problem-solving abilities, particularly scientific literacy and hypothesis formation, among students in the Republic of Zambia, aligning with national educational goals. Drawing from international assessments like PISA-D, which highlight students' difficulties in scientific reasoning and data interpretation, this research aims to develop and validate assessment criteria for hypothesis formation. A pilot survey was conducted in July 2024 with Zambian STEM students, focusing on variable identification and explanatory hypothesis construction. While students demonstrated the ability to extract at least one variable and attempted to integrate scientific knowledge, inter-rater reliability with local teachers for explanatory hypotheses was low (K=0.47), suggesting ambiguity in criteria. The findings underscore the necessity for further refinement of assessment rubrics, especially for complex scientific reasoning, to ensure consistent and contextually relevant evaluation of students' problem-solving competencies.