The investigation of assessment and evaluation approach that is reflected in 6th, 7th and 8th grades science and technology textbooks prepared in the light of new science and technology teaching program

The purpose of this study is to investigate the assessment and evaluation approach that is reflected in 6th, 7th and 8th grades Science and Technology textbooks prepared in the light of new Science and Technology Teaching Program in terms of i) the frequency of the use of related techniques, ii) identification of the relevant use of some techniques (YG, TDA, KH, KIT) that appears for the first time in the Science and Technology teaching program. The obtained information is discussed and explained in the light of highly focused and important points.The study is limited with the 6th, 7th and 8th grades of the program. Hence, the textbooks written in accord with the 6th, 7th and 8th grades Science and Technology Teaching Program by a commission selected by the Ministry of Education were selected for the study. The units in all selected textbooks were examined in detail and the data collected through the investigation was tabulated. Qualitative research method was used in the study along with document review which is one of quantitative research techniques.In order to answer the first research question, the frequency of appearance of each assessment technique mentioned in the program was counted in each textbook, in units and as a whole. The obtained results were tabulated. In this phase, the techniques in the textbooks were classified according to the table developed and categorized by features by Nartgün (2009). In the second research question, the techniques appeared in textbooks for the first time such as Structured Grid, Diagnostic Tree, Word Association Tests and Concept Map were examined one by one according to the characteristics that they needed to carry and whether their use was appropriate was investigated in this context. In order to accomplish this task, assessment scales were developed according to the research undertaken through literature review related to studies on the techniques and expert opinions from academicians. These scales were used to examine and evaluate all the techniques that were in the textbooks. As a consequence of the data from the first two research questions and similar studies from literature, the assessment and evaluation approach that is reflected in the textbooks were evaluated in the light of approaches and acknowledgements related to assessment and evaluation in the new science and technology teaching program.According to the data obtained in the study it was found out that some of the techniques (observation, portfolio, V-diagram, shows, peer assessment) that are highly focused in the new Teaching Program do not take place in the textbooks at all, whereas some other techniques (word association, diagnostic tree) are found sporadically. The study also confirmed that traditional question types such as open-ended questions and questions that require short answers are the most frequently used question types. In addition to these findings, it was seen that different question types (stories, scenarios, graphics, puzzles) that were not mentioned in the program take place in the textbooks. The findings related to the use of techniques appeared in textbooks for the first time such as Structured Grid, Diagnostic Tree, Word Association Tests and Concept Map showed that these techniques do not either carry the supposed technical features at all (appropriate directives at the beginning of the test, information related to the process of grading) or carry them partially. However, some of the technical features (use of clear and understandable expressions) are intact. Some suggestions are provided to the researchers, textbook writers and educators in the light of the results obtained through the study.Key words: Science and Technology Textbooks, Assessment and Evaluation, Science and Technology Curriculum