An Investigation of Feedback Strategies Used by Science Teachers in the Classroom Setting: A Mixed-Methods Research

Abstract

This study classifies the verbal feedback of science teachers into praise statements, effort-based feedback statements, negative feedback statements, and ability-based statements, which are also regarded as feedback strategies. The study aims to investigate the feedback strategies used by science teachers in the classroom setting using descriptive research with a general survey design within an exploratory sequential design of mixed-methods research. It employs the Science Course Feedback Perception Scale in data collection. The population of the study consists of the 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students (N = 1696) and secondary school science teachers (N = 51) affiliated to the Turkish Ministry of National Education in the central districts of Mersin, Turkey in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years. The sample is formed through a theoretical sampling method for qualitative data and convenience sampling and cluster sampling methods for quantitative data. The qualitative data are collected by open-ended questions designed based on expert opinion. The items are reviewed based on expert opinion and the content validity index of the scale is examined. Following that, exploratory factor analysis is performed to test the construct validity of the scale. The factor analysis identified a 4-factor model with 34 items explaining 55.73% of the total variance of the scale. Then, the 4-factor structure of the scale is tested by confirmatory factor analysis. Lastly, the types of feedback given by teachers to the students in the science course are analyzed in terms of gender and grade level.