Evaluation of Homework in Science and Social Studies / Evaluacija domaće zadaće u Prirodi i društvu
Authors: Borić Edita 
Published: May 2021

Systematic monitoring of students’ achievements as well as encouraging and improving the development of their knowledge, skills and abilities is one of the basic tasks of school. Apart from monitoring the progress of students during the teaching process, monitoring and evaluation of their independent work at home is also considered. A new approach to curriculum planning emphasizes the importance of formative evaluation, which implies monitoring and feedback about the learning process. A well-designed homework task can be an excellent indicator of progress in a student’s independent work outside of school. Creating and evaluating constructivist homework enables monitoring the development of students’ research skills as one of the two key evaluation elements in Science and Social Studies.The aim of the paper was to determine the frequency of homework evaluated by teachers and the ways teachers evaluate homework in Science and Social Studies classes. In addition, the aim was to identify the sources of homework which are mostly evaluated. A sample study included 83 primary school teachers, whose assignment, assessment and evaluation of student homework was observed by the students of the Faculty of Education in Osijek and Slavonski Brod during their professional-pedagogical practice. The study analysed 343 Science and Social Studies lessons in which homework was assigned. The results show that teachers did not evaluate a large amount of homework, or they only marked it as reviewed without any feedback about students’ progress and achievement. Therefore, the study reflects the importance of planning, creating and evaluating homework assignments in Science and Social Studies classes.Key words: curriculum; formative evaluation; homework assignments; learning outcomes; sources of homework---Sustavno praćenje učeničkih postignuća, kao i poticanje i poboljšanje razvoja njihovih znanja, vještina i sposobnosti, jedna je od osnovnih zadaća škole. Osim praćenja napretka učenika tijekom procesa poučavanja, također smo razmotrili praćenje i evaluaciju samostalnoga rada učenika kod kuće. Novi pristup planiranju kurikula naglašava važnost formativne evaluacije, što obuhvaća praćenje i davanje povratnih informacija o procesu učenja. Dobro osmišljena zadaća može biti odličan pokazatelj napretka u samostalnom radu učenika izvan škole. Kreiranje i evaluacija konstruktivističke domaće zadaće omogućuje praćenje razvoja učeničkih istraživačkih vještina kao jednog od ključnih elemenata evaluacije u predmetu Priroda i društvo. Cilj ovoga rada bio je utvrditi koliko često učitelji evaluiraju domaće zadaće i načine na koje to čine u nastavi Prirode i društva. Osim toga, cilj je bio utvrditi koje izvore zadaće učitelji najviše evaluiraju. Uzorak studije obuhvatio je 83 osnovnoškolska učitelja čije zadavanje domaćega rada, procjenu i evaluaciju zadaća učenika promatrali su studenti Fakulteta za odgoj i obrazovne znanosti u Osijeku i Slavonskom Brodu tijekom profesionalno-pedagoške prakse. U istraživanju su analizirana 343 sata Prirode i društva na kojima je zadana domaća zadaća. Rezultati pokazuju da učitelji nisu evaluirali veliki broj domaćih zadaća ili su ih samo označili kao pregledane bez povratnih informacija o učeničkom napretku i postignuću. Stoga, istraživanje ukazuje na važnost planiranja, osmišljavanja i evaluacije zadataka domaćega rada u nastavi Prirode i društva.Ključne riječi: formativna evaluacija; ishodi učenja; izvori domaće zadaće; kurikul; zadatci za domaći rad