Practical Work Activities as a Method of Assessing Learning in Chemistry Teaching

Practical work activities have been used for many purposes in science teaching. However, its use for assessment purposes has been limited. This study highlights the role of practical work activities in assessment. Practical work activities present various advantages as an assessment tool. Practical work activities allow the assessor access to a variety of knowledge types into a student's knowledge base. That is, with practical work activities the student's knowledge and skills may be assessed simultaneously. The study uses qualitative methods to ensure a broader and deeper understanding of the quality of knowledge structure and its functioning that individual students possess. The findings of the study demonstrate the extent with which knowledge and/or skills may be accessed using practical work activities. In addition, the findings illustrate through using practical work activities, the possibility of accessing and assessing different types of knowledge and their characteristics as possessed by each learner/student. With this capability in assessment, teachers are empowered to accurately and appropriately plan for future teaching and learning of concepts as they will be able to develop relevant teaching and learning materials for particular and different cohorts of students.