Formative assessment practices in science education: A meta-synthesis study

Abstract

This study aimed to examine qualitative studies on formative assessment (FA) in science education through metasynthesis. To this end, the study examined 22 qualitative studies selected according to particular criteria out of 1077 studies in several electronic databases. It sought to determine how science teachers' FA applications were supported and how teachers used FA in science classes. The numerical superiority of case studies, the existence of professional development programmes, and the role of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and beliefs in determining their FA practices were among the findings. Given the findings of the study, various suggestions are made for both researchers and science teachers. The studies that look at all aspects of classroom interaction could represent FA practices in more detail. It is also essential to improve science teachers' skills in FA applications with pre-service and in-service training.