The frequency of use of assessment and evaluation techniques by science and technology teachers and the problems they face

The study recovers the frequency of usage of assessment and evaluation techniques by science and technology teachers, and the problems they face. The data were collected by means of surveys and half-structured interviews. Usage frequency of assessment and evaluation techniques survey, and a survey about reasons for assessment and evaluation use/non-use for 96 Science and Technology Teachers in central districts of Diyarbakır city were conducted. Five teachers were interviewed. Surveys, the quantitative part of the research, were analyzed by means of the SPSS 16 program. Frequency (f), per cent (%), arithmetic averages (X) and standard deviations (sd) were calculated.According to the analysis based on the findings about the Science and technology teachers? usage frequency of assessment and evaluation techniques, the teachers state that they mostly use multiple choice tests, written exams, completion (filling in the blanks) questions and observation method; that they occasionally use oral examinations, matching questions, performance evaluation method, portfolios, concept maps, diagnostic branched trees; word association, project, drama, interview, group and/or peer evaluation and self evaluation methods; and that they never use structured grid.In regard to the Science and Technology teachers? use frequency of assessment and evaluation methods, there is no significant difference in gender, educational status, faculty of graduation, course load, seniority, field of graduation and sizes of the classes they master.With respect to the and Technology teachers? use frequency of assessment and evaluation methods, there is significant difference, in terms of in-service educational background, in favour of the teachers who have taken in-service education.According to the half-structured interview data collected from science and technology teachers surveyed, it is found that the teachers mostly use multiple choice tests, gap-filling, matching questions which they interpret as classical methods. Among alternative assessment and evaluation methods, it is seen that they use the methods of project, performance, portfolio. Many teachers say they don?t know the methods of structured grid, concept map, diagnostic branched tree that are among alternative methods.It is seen that science and technology teachers who were surveyed say that using alternative methods in their classes take time, that they can?t frequently use these methods because of their anxiety about catching the curriculum.The data gathered from science and technology teachers who participated in the search reveals they state they mostly use multiple choice tests on account of the examination briefly named as SBS (Placement Test) is held.Most of the science and technology teachers express their need for an in-service education about alternative methods.Key Words: Assessment, Evaluation, Traditional and Alternative Assessment and Evaluation.