Profile of Epistemic Assessment Experiences in Science: Scientific Models in Biology Learning

Abstract

This study aims to profile high school students’ epistemic assessment experiences of the scientific model in biology learning. A descriptive method was used, involving 225 eleventh-grade students from ten high schools with A and B accreditation in the cities of Bandung and Cimahi. Data were collected via a four-point Likert-scale questionnaire with multiple-response options and semi-structured interviews, then analyzed based on the mean scores for each sub-element. The results indicate that students’ experiences with the epistemic assessment of the scientific model are still not widely present in biology assessments in the classroom, as evidenced by all sub-elements scoring only in the “sometimes” category. The sub-elements of the model for prediction and explanation obtained the highest average (2.50), while the limitations of the model and the differences between the model and reality were the aspects students experienced least frequently (2.31). These findings indicate that biology assessment is still dominated by the use of models to explain and predict phenomena, while evaluative aspects such as comparing and evaluating models have not been widely accommodated. Differences in school accreditation also did not indicate significant differences in the epistemic orientation of assessment. Therefore, biology assessment needs to be more directed toward developing students’ ability to critically evaluate, compare, and revise scientific models.