The effectiveness of the use of portfolio assessment by controlling prior knowledge to enhance scientific attitude among senior high school students

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of the portfolio in Physics teaching on scientific attitude by controlling prior knowledge. This study was conducted at public senior high schools in Singaraja by using the experimental method with single factor independent group design with the use of covariable. This study involved 152 Class X MIPA students of senior high schools as sample selected by multistage random sampling technique. Portfolio assessment was made by integrating it with Physics teaching. The implementation of portfolio assessment involved 4 basic elements: the presence of student’s work folder, clear assessment criteria, self-assessment, and teacher and student conference. The data that were needed in this study were students’ scientific attitude as the independent variable and prior knowledge as covariate variable. To obtain the data two types of instrument were used: 1) scientific attitude questionnaire that consisted of the dimensions of curiosity, respect for facts and evidence, willingness to change ideas, and critical reflection by using a Likert scale, and 2) prior knowledge test in the form of a multiple choice test using an interval scale. The data were analyzed with Analysis of Covariance (ANOCOVA) with the aid of SPSS program 20.0 at Sig. ? = 0.05. The results of the study showed that there is a difference in scientific attitude between the students who learned Physics through portfolio assessment and those who learned Physics through conventional assessment. The result showed that portfolio assessment in Physics teaching is effective in enhancing students’ scientific attitude.