Educational Dialogue as a Method of Formative Assessment of School Students’ Learning Outcomes

Abstract

The article discusses the use of educational dialogue for the organization of formative assessment and assessment discussions. We are talking about educational dialogue as a teaching method, a kind of interpersonal communication in which experience, relevant knowledge and skills are exchanged. The role of educational dialogue in the organization of formative assessment is to create an educational environment in which students develop the ability to reason and solve problems. The research conducted among teachers and students gives reason to conclude that educational dialogue is used in domestic school practice, but it is not widely used for evaluating learning results. Only a third of the interviewed biology teachers admitted that they use dialogues to evaluate the results of educational activities. Half of the teachers who took part in the study believe that they have enough knowledge and practice to organize the assessment. Educational dialogues involve students' ability to ask questions. This skill demonstrates the student's level of awareness of the educational material and is related to the search and processing of information. However, only a third of teachers agreed that they assess students' ability to formulate questions. Half of the biology teachers believe that in their pedagogical practice there is no assessment of students' ability to ask questions. Most students are also convinced that such practice does not exist at school. The results of the survey indicate a difference in the views of teachers and students on assessment during educational dialogues.