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Assessing Student Understanding in Science

A Standards-Based K-12 Handbook

Second Edition
By: Sandra K. Enger, Robert E. Yager

Create and customize assessments to determine student understanding in six domains of science!

This second edition offers best practices and an extensive collection of examples to measure what students know and can do in elementary, middle, and high school science. Aligned with national science standards, the book shows how to:

Measure student progress in six critical domains of science—concepts, processes, applications, attitude, creativity, and the nature of science
Evaluate your teaching practice through action research, video recordings, and journaling
Use formative assessments to inform teaching
Assess students using portfolios, self-evaluations, and rubrics
Use science notebooks as assessment tools

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-12
ISBN: 9781412969932
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2009
Page Count: 216
Publication date: November 09, 2012

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Description

"In this second edition, Enger and Yager expand their previous work by suggesting new assessments and more clearly connecting their assessments with the National Science Education Standards. For classroom teachers, this book offers a range of suggestions that can enhance instruction. For science teacher educators, this book is an invaluable and handy resource in working with beginning, new, or experienced science teachers."
—Julie A. Luft, Professor of Science Education
Arizona State University

Create and customize assessments to determine student understanding in six domains of science!

Carefully designed assessments can give teachers the information they need to improve instruction and help students meet educational goals and objectives. This updated resource offers a multifaceted approach to measure what students know and can do as a result of their learning experiences.

Assessing Student Understanding in Science provides educators with essential methods to best assess student proficiency and performance in science. The authors provide an extensive collection of strategies and examples for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Aligned with national science standards, the book includes:

Criteria to measure student progress in six critical domains of science—concepts, processes, applications, attitude, creativity, and the nature of science
Strategies to evaluate your teaching practice, such as action research, video recordings, and journaling
Information about using formative assessments to inform teaching
Methods for assessing student work using portfolios, self-evaluations, and rubrics
An introduction to using science notebooks as assessment tools

With the proven frameworks in this book, teachers can build customized assessments to meet instructional needs and prepare students to succeed in science.

Author(s)

Sandra K. Enger

Sandra K. Enger is a faculty member at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and associate director of the Institute for Science Education. She teaches methods courses for preservice teachers in elementary science and also undergraduate and graduate assessment courses. As a professional development provider, she has worked with international teachers from Russia, the Ukraine, and multiple Trans-Eurasian countries. Her consulting work includes development of assessment materials, conducting project evaluations, and participation in alignment studies. She graduated from Winona State (MN) University with a BS in science and a master’s degree in biological sciences. Her PhD in science education was awarded by The University of Iowa. She has had extensive classroom experience at both secondary and university levels.

Robert E. Yager

Robert E. Yager is professor emeritus of science education at The University of Iowa, where he also earned two graduate degrees. He has directed over 100 National Science Foundation projects and has served as chair for nearly 130 doctoral students. Yager has served as president for seven national professional organizations. He has been involved internationally with special ongoing projects in Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey, and Estonia. Yager’s research interests and teaching are involved with science, technology, and society (STS), especially in terms of it as an instructional reform effort and the other visions outlined in the National Science Education Standards. He continues to identify Exemplary Science Programs across the world.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

1. A Framework for Assessing Student Understanding in Science

Assessment Based on Six Domains of Science

I. Conceptual Domain

II. Process Domain

III. Application Domain

IV. Attitude Domain

V. Creativity Domain

VI. Nature of Science Domain

Assessment Approaches Aligned With the Six Domains

2. Assessment in the Contexts of Teaching

Planning Instruction and Assessment

What Assessment Is

Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessment Types and Approaches

National Science Education Assessment Standards

Implementing Assessment Guidelines

The Internet as an Assessment Resource

3. Evaluating Teaching Practice

Action Research

Assessment of Classroom Practice With Video Recording Support

Sources of Instrumentation for Assessing Practice

Self-Assessment of Constructivist Practice

Science-as-Inquiry Surveys

4. Rubrics and Scoring Guides

Rubrics and Scoring Guides: What Are They?

Rubric Construction: A Teacher's Perspective

Rubric or Scoring Guide Design

Examples of Tasks and Rubrics

How Well Does a Rubric Communicate the Original Task?

5. Science Notebooks

Science Notebooks: Formative and Summative Assessment Tools

Notebook Scaffolds

Assessment Components for Notebooks

Supporting Graphing Skills and Abilities

6. Assessment Examples for All Grade Levels

Open-Ended Questions (Integrates Domains)

Student Laboratory Environment Inventory (Integrates Domains)

Ideas for Assessing in the Application Domain

Observation Checklist (Integrates Domains)

Use of Application-Level Multiple-Choice Questions

Examples for the Creativity Domain

Assessing Attitudes, Preferences, and Processes

7. Assessment Examples for Grades K Through 4

Applying Process Skills and Experimental Design

Application Assessment Items for Grades K Through 3

Assessing Attitudes About Science

Student Self-Assessment

Assessing Perceptions About Scientists

8. Assessment Examples for Grades 5 Through 8

Developing a Group Performance Task

Preparation for Standardized Tests

Electronic Portfolios for Students

Structuring Peer Assessment for Cooperative Groups

Class Assessment of Group Project Presentations

9. Assessment Examples for Grades 9 Through 12

Using the Student Laboratory Environment Inventory

Looking at Science Processes

Assessing Specific Areas of Understanding

Assessing Students' Views of the Scientific Process

Glossary of Assessment-Related Terminology

References

Index

Reviews

“In this second edition, Enger and Yager expand their previous work by suggesting new assessments and more clearly connecting their assessments with the National Science Education Standards. For classroom teachers, this book offers a range of suggestions that can enhance classroom instruction. For science teacher educators, this book is an invaluable and handy resource in working with beginning, new, or experienced science teachers.”

Julie A. Luft, Professor of Science Education
Arizona State University

"This valuable contribution to the field offers clear explanations and examples of different types of assessments and suggests very practical applications for teachers of all levels. The authors present some wonderfully creative approaches to assessment, going beyond the usual methods."

Petrina McCarthy, Science Teacher
Robert McQueen High School, Reno, NV

"The material enables readers to self-assess on many levels: their own understanding of assessment in general, how assessment looks within the science content, and the many different applications. The coverage appeals to science teachers at all levels and all disciplines."

Rachel Hull, Fourth-Grade Teacher
Buffalo Elementary School, WV

"Does an exceptional job of addressing the most controversial and misunderstood aspect of delivering quality science instruction. The six domains of quality science teaching are addressed with examples of what is included in each. The book clearly describes various types of assessments, with the advantages and disadvantages of each. It also provides numerous references on asessing students in science."

Fred D. Johnson, Retired Superintendent
Cordova, TN

“Drawing on the latest research, best practices, and the wisdom of practitioners from all levels of the education spectrum, this powerful, comprehensive document pinpoints and prioritizes our work to ensure a foundation for all classroom applications of assessments. This is an invaluable resource for educators, K-12."

Jack Rhoton, Executive Director, Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education
Professor of Science Education, East Tennessee State University

"This text offers information regarding the theory and real-world applications of a variety of assessments that can be used to address the unique standards of science education. The text addresses the need to assess all six domains of science literacy and offers tried-and-true methods and instruments that can be used to assess each domain. It does so by providing definitions of each domain and offering specific suggestions as to how the results can be used across the range of levels in our schools. The text is a wonderful collection of science-specific assessment information that can be used by those of us interested in assessing students and conducting research in K-12 science education."

David A. Wiley, Dean, College of Education and Human Services
Lenoir-Rhyne University

Other Titles in: Science | Student Assessment | Teaching Methods & Learning Styles

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