ASSESSMENT IN SCIENCE CLASSESJacque Melin

GVSU

Sources used for this presentation:• Assessment & Inquiry-Based Science Education: Issues

in Policy and Practice (2013) - Global Network of Science Academies (IAP) Science Education Programme (SEP)

• Supporting Grade 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science: The Claim, Evidence and Reasoning Framework for Talk and Writing (2012) – Katherine McNeill (Boston College) and Joseph Krajcik (University of Michigan)

• Classroom Assessment FOR Student Learning: Doing It Right – Using it Well (2012) – Richard Stiggins (Assessment Training Institute)

Warm-up

• In groups of 4, come to agreement, and write three (3) seven word statements (exactly 7 words per statement) to express what assessment practices look like in the science classroom.

•5 minutes – then share

Keys to Quality Classroom Assessment

Clear PurposesWhy Assess?

What’s the purpose?Who will use results?

Clear TargetsAssess What?

What are the learning targets?Are they clear?Are they good?

Sound DesignAssess How?

What method?Sampled how?

Avoid bias how?

Effective CommunicationCommunicate How?

How manage information?How report?

Accurate Assessment

Effectively Used

Student InvolvementStudents are users, too.

Students need to understand learning targets, too.Students can participate in the assessment process, too.

Students can track progress and communicate, too.

Through their science education students should develop:• understanding of fundamental scientific ideas

• understanding of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, reasoning

• scientific competences of gathering and using evidence

• ability to communicate using appropriate language and representations, including written, oral and mathematical language

Global Network of Science Academies (IAP) Science Education Programme (SEP)

Through their science education students should develop:• understanding of fundamental scientific ideas• understanding of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, reasoning• scientific competences of gathering and using evidence• ability to communicate using appropriate language and

representations, including written, oral and mathematical language

Discuss the following:• Where are we strong, where do we need to improve?• Moves we can/should make• Additional resources we should consult• Questions we should be asking

Carousal groups

Assessment & Inquiry-Based Science Education: Issues in Policy and Practice

• In recent years there has been a rapid expansion of interest in inquiry-based science education (IBSE). Classroom and laboratory practices and materials which encourage students to take an active part in making sense of events and phenomena in the world around are being promoted and developed through pilot projects in countries across the globe. Embracing inquiry-based education recognizes its potential to enable students to develop the understandings, competences, attitudes and interests needed by everyone for life in societies increasingly dependent on applications of science. Inquiry leads to knowledge of the particular objects or phenomena investigated, but more importantly, it helps to build broad concepts that have wide explanatory power, enabling new objects or events to be understood. It also engenders reflection on the thinking processes and learning strategies that are necessary for continued learning throughout life. There are, however, many challenges in implementing IBSE. Central among these is the assessment of students’ learning since this has a strong influence on what is taught and how it is taught.

Global Network of Science Academies (IAP) Science Education Programme (SEP)

Assessment & Inquiry-Based Science Education: Issues in Policy and Practice

• There are aspects of learning science, such as knowledge of scientific vocabulary, conventions and use of equipment, that are best learned through direct instruction. Thus not all science teaching and not all assessment will be concerned with the specific outcomes of learning through inquiry.

• However, knowledge of facts and procedures are means to the end of developing understanding through inquiry, thus a major element in assessment should reflect the understanding, skills and competences of students being able to write scientific explanations.

Global Network of Science Academies (IAP) Science Education Programme (SEP)

Questions you probably ask yourself….

• How can I design assessment tasks that allow me to assess my students’ abilities to construct scientific explanations?

• How can I create assessment tasks that also align with key science content learning goals that I need to address?

• To do both, you will need to develop a process…..

Development Process for Scientific Explanation Assessment Tasks• Step 1: Identify and unpack (deconstruct) the content

standards

• Step 2: Select scientific explanation level of complexity

• Step 3: Create learning performance

• Step 4: Write the assessment task

• Step 5: Review the assessment task

• Step 6: Develop specific rubric

Step 1: Identify and unpack (deconstruct) the content standards

• 6th grade standards….

• Rock Formation – Rocks and rock formations bear evidence of the minerals, materials, temperature/pressure conditions, and forces that created them. (E.SE.M.4)

• Identify common rock forming minerals (quartz, feldspar, talc, biotite, calcite, hornblende) (E3.p2A)

• Use multiple sources of information to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data. (S.IA.06.15)

• Design an assessment item that will require students to analyze data, apply their understanding of minerals, and write a scientific explanation.

Step 2: Select scientific explanation level of complexity• Summary of four Different Variations of the Scientific Explanation FrameworkVariation Description of Framework

Variation #1 1. Claim2. Evidence3. Reasoning

Variation #2 1. Claim2. Evidence • Appropriate• Sufficient3. Reasoning

Variation #3 1. Claim2. Evidence • Appropriate• Sufficient3. Reasoning• Multiple components

Variation #4 1. Claim2. Evidence • Appropriate• Sufficient3. Reasoning• Multiple components4. Rebuttal

Steps 3 and 4: Create a learning performance & Write the assessment task

• Think about the type of item you would like to create:• Stand alone• Scenario• Prompt• Construct/Create

• Set the context, specify the reasoning, point the way.

Stand-Alone

Science – Sequence the stages of the water cycle. Explain what happens in each stage.

Scenario

Science – It’s been raining! It’s been pouring! There has been a lot of standing water all around Grand Rapids, and the old golf course on West River Drive has looks like it has mini-lakes. As Adam and Amy passed the golf course, Amy casually remarked to Adam that some of the water she sees on the old golf course could become part of the lake she plans to swim in when she visits Lake George in upstate New York during July. Should Adam believe her statement? Why or why not? Justify your answer thoroughly using scientific reasoning.

Prompt Science

Location Humidity Level

Miami, Florida 86%

Las Vegas, Nevada 19%

New York City, NY 74%

Palm Desert, CA 15%

Chicago, IL 82%

Phoenix, Arizona 18%

Define humidity.

Explain why some cities have significantly higher humidity levels than others by comparing the humidity levels and locations of the cities in the chart.

Use scientific reasoning to explain why those cities with significantly higher humidity levels can expect more rain than those with lower humidity levels.

Create/Construct

• Science –• Draw a diagram of the water cycle. Begin your drawing

with a large body of water. Be sure to include the energy source for the water cycle in your diagram.

• Label your diagram with explanations of what is occurring in each stage of the cycle.

Steps 3 and 4: Create a learning performance & Write the assessment task• Ben has an unknown mineral and he is trying to figure out

the identity of the mineral. The unknown mineral is white, when he rubs it across a streak plate it leave a white line, it is shiny, and when he breaks it the pieces are smooth and it always breaks in the same pattern. He also tested the hardness and it is around a 6 or a 7.

• Based on the color, Ben decided that the unknown is talc, feldspar, or quartz. He decided to look up other information about these three minerals. He placed the information he found in a table.

Steps 3 and 4: Create a learning performance & Write the assessment taskMineral Color Streak Hardness Luster Other

Talc White White 1 Pearly Greasy feel

Feldspar White, red, green

White 6 Glassy Cleavage

Quartz White, other colors

None 7 Glassy No cleavage, curved fracture

Steps 3 and 4: Create a learning performance & Write the assessment task• Using the information in the table, and data Ben collected on

the unknown, write a scientific explanation stating what you think is the identity of the unknown mineral as your claim. Then provide appropriate and sufficient evidence and reasoning. Also, include a rebuttal by justifying not only your choice, but also why you did not select the other two minerals.

• After designing the assessment item, write a potential ideal student response to help you think about how you would like your students to respond.

Step 5: Review the Assessment Task: Thinking about students’ responses• I hope that the students will construct a claim that the unknown

mineral is feldspar and use evidence from Ben’s investigation and the table to support the claim.

• For example, students could include as evidence that the unknown mineral has a white streak and a hardness or 6 or 7 and feldspar has a white streak and a hardness of 6.

• In the students’ reasoning, I want them to explain that properties help you identify minerals and the rebuttal should include evidence or reasoning for why the unknown mineral is not talc or quartz. For example, the students could include in their rebuttal that talc has a hardness of 1 and quartz does not have a streak, which are both different compared to the unknown mineral.

Step 5: Review the Assessment Task: Thinking about these questions

• 1. Is the knowledge needed to correctly respond to the task?

• 2. Is the knowledge enough by itself to correctly respond to the task or is additional knowledge needed?

• 3. Is the assessment task and context likely to be comprehensible to students?

Step 5: Review the Assessment Task: Thinking about these questions

• 1. Is the knowledge needed to correctly respond to the task? The assessment item makes a match with only part of the content standard. Students will need to understand what minerals are and how to identify minerals to answer the question, but the item does not match well with the rock formation aspect of the standard.

• 2. Is the knowledge enough by itself to correctly respond to the task or is additional knowledge needed? Students need additional content information that you can use properties to understand substances, which is not explicitly stated in the standard. (However, based on their work in the previous chemistry unit and the current rocks and minerals unit, students should have an understanding of this idea).

• 3. Is the assessment task and context likely to be comprehensible to students? This task should be comprehensible to students because investigations during the rocks and minerals unit. Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the item because I feel it will allow me to assess if my students can apply both their understanding of minerals and their understanding of how to construct a scientific explanation.

Step 6: Develop a specific rubric Proficient Progressing Unsatisfactory

Claim:A statement or conclusion that answers the original question/problem

Makes an accurate and complete claim.

Makes an accurate but incomplete claim.

Does not make a claim, or makes an inaccurate claim.

Evidence:Scientific data that supports the claim. The data needs to be appropriate and sufficient to support the claim.

Provides appropriate and sufficient evidence to support claim.

Provides appropriate but insufficient evidence to support claim. May include some inappropriate evidence.

Does not provide evidence or only provides inappropriate evidence that does not support claim.

Reasoning:A justification that connects the evidence to the claim. It shows why the data counts as evidence by using appropriate and sufficient scientific principles.

Provides reasoning that connects the evidence to the claim. Includes appropriate and sufficient scientific principles to explain why the evidence supports the claim.

Provides reasoning that connects the evidence to the claim. May include some scientific principles or justification for why the evidence support the claim, but not sufficiently.

Does not provide reasoning, or only provides inappropriate reasoning.

Rebuttal:Recognizes and describes alternative explanations, and provides counter evidence and reasoning for why the alternative explanation is not appropriate.

Recognizes alternative explanations and provides appropriate and sufficient counter evidence and reasoning when making rebuttals.

Recognizes alternative explanations and provides appropriate but insufficient counter evidence and reasoning in making a rebuttal.

Does not recognize that an alternative explanation exists and does not provide a rebuttal or makes an inaccurate rebuttal.

Work with a partner to create your own assessment item which will help students write a scientific explanation

• Step 1: Identify and unpack (deconstruct) the content standards

• Step 2: Select scientific explanation level of complexity

• Step 3: Create learning performance

• Step 4: Write the assessment task

• Step 5: Review the assessment task

• Step 6: Develop specific rubric

Making a Difference Through Assessment

• My favorite assessment quotes….

• InspirationsR. StakeJ. HattieR. Stiggins