EXPLORING IN-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN SCIENCE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOL OF AZIZABAD, SUKKUR

Abstract

It is qualitative phenomenological research that investigates the perceptions of in-service science teachers of government schools in Azizabad, Sukkur, Pakistan regarding formative assessment. It particularly looks at the effectiveness and effect of formative practices on student learning in science education, pedagogical strategies that are preferred, and the main obstacles and facilitators of effective practices to a gap in the research on low-resource and context-specific learning environments. The purposive sampling method was used to pick experienced teachers of science in the government schools. Structured interview data were coded with Braun and Clarke (2006) six-phase thematic analysis model and their trustworthiness was established using triangulation and member checking, as well as, through extensive contextual record keeping. Educators view formative assessment as the key to real-time learning and also appreciate interactive, low-stakes strategies such as think-pair-share, exit tickets, concept map, as well as peer feedback. Key obstacles are time, overpopulated classrooms, lack of resources, inconsistent practical training, and supremacy of summative assessment and philosophical support of schools as opposed to structural ones. The results emphasize the necessity of institutional changes, such as specific teacher education and supply of resources, as well as policy change to formative practices. The insights inform educational leaders to improve the instructional practices in science, student engagement, and alleviating policy-practice gaps in under-resourced Pakistani schools. The paper is the first to examine qualitatively the lived experiences of in-service teachers related to formative assessment in Pakistani rural science classrooms with the purpose of expanding phenomenological investigation to low-resource settings. It is the only method to recognize context-specific themes and provide viable directions of implementation of global assessment theories in local realities and inform future professional development.