strategies for assessment of inquiry learning in science (sails), eilish mcloughlin
DESCRIPTION
Presentation from the 2nd Scientix Conference, 24-26 Ocotober 2014, Brussels, BelgiumTRANSCRIPT
BRUSSELS24-26 OCTOBER2 0 1 4
Strategies for Assessment of Inquiry Learning in Science
Eilish McLoughlinCASTeL, Dublin City University
The SAILS project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement n° 289085
SAILS - A European approach
FP7: 2012-2015Coordinator: Dr. Odilla Finlayson, Dublin City University
IBSE skills and competences
Unified approach of implementing all the necessary components fortransforming classroom practice - sustainable model for IBSE.
• Provide materials incorporating inquiry assessment strategies and frameworks.
• Partner with teachers to identify and implement assessment strategies and frameworks to evaluate key IBSE skills and competences in the classroom.
• Prepare teachers not only to be able to teach through IBSE, but also to be confident and competent in the assessment of their students’ learning through inquiry.
SAILS OBJECTVES
SAILS Approach
Review and Mapping• role of inquiry in national curriculum and assessment
• national projects or initiatives on IBSE
• links between IBSE and skills/competences
Assessment frameworks and instruments• evaluate inquiry skills, scientific reasoning, scientific
literacy in a specific context
• paper-and-pencil / computer-based assessment.
Piloting and evaluation• expert IBSE practitioners
• physics, chemistry, biology concepts
What is inquiry?
“[Inquiry is] the intentional process of:
diagnosing problems, critiquing experiments,
distinguishing alternatives, planning investigations,
researching conjectures, searching for information,
constructing models, discussing with peers
and forming coherent arguments.”
Linn, M. C., Davis E.A., & Bell, P. (2004).
Curriculum and Assessment –Lower Secondary
Diagnosingproblem
Critiquingexperiments
Distinguish alternatives.
Plan Investigations
Researchingconjectures
Search for information
Constructing models
Debating with peers
Forming coherent
arguments
Belgium
DenmarkGermany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Sweden
TurkeyUK
Curriculum OnlyCurriculum and Assessment
Diagnosingproblem
Critiquingexperiments
Distinguish alternatives.
Plan Investigations
Researchingconjectures
Search for information
Constructing models
Debating with peers
Forming coherent
arguments
Belgium
Denmark
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Sweden
Turkey
UK
Curriculum OnlyCurriculum and Assessment
Curriculum and Assessment –Upper Secondary
SAILS assessment in science
Focus on:
– scientific reasoning
– scientific literacy
– planning investigations
– developing hypotheses
– working collaboratively
– forming coherent arguments
The assessment of skills in a way that teachers can:(1) diagnose whether students possess an appropriate level of that skill, and
(2) provide feedback and guidance to their students in order to improve students’ performance.
Planning investigations
(a) decide what you want to do to find out the answer to the question,
(b) decide what materials you need,
(c) decide how to record the information,
(d) decide how to analyse the information,
(e) decide how to report the findings.
Fradd, S.H., Lee, O., Sutman, F.X., & Saxton, M.K. (2001). Promoting science literacy with English language learners through instructional materials development: A case study. Billingual Research Journal, 25 (4), 417-439.
.. intentional thinking processes necessary before beginning an experiment ..
SAILS Units
Collision of an egg
Ultraviolet radiation
Electricity
Light
Speed
Floating orange
Global warming
Up there… how is it?
Physics
Polymers
Acids, bases, salts
Black tide: Oil in the water
Reaction rates
The proof of the pudding
Which is the Best Fuel?
Household vs natural environment
Chemistry
Food labels
Plant nutrition
Sports nutrition
Wood lice
Natural selection
Biology
Inquiry skills assessed: planning investigations
developing hypothesesworking collaboratively
forming coherent arguments
Unit Overview
• Topic/Concepts
• Teaching Approach
• Inquiry Skills
• Scientific Literacy / reasoning
• Assessment
Draft Unit
• Rationale of approach used
• Proposed learning sequence
• Skills assessed
• Proposed assessment
Case Study 1 Case
Study 2Case
Study 3
SAILS Unit Structure
Case studies (Teacher Stories)
(i) How was the learning sequence adapted?
Teachers’ reasons for their approach. What questions they used? How did the learners respond? What did the teacher notice?
(ii) How were the skills assessed?
How did they plan to make their judgements (during/after the inquiry? What model of assessment was used?
(iii) Criteria for judging assessment data:
What were the teachers looking for in terms of satisfactory response to the inquiry? What were their expectations?
(iv) Evidence Collected:
Teacher opinion, Observer notes, Sample Student artefacts.
(v) Use of Assessment Data
What did the teachers do next? How did they feed back to their learners? How did doing the inquiry affect their planning and decisions about next steps in learning?
The student gives recomendations on how the experiment should be carried out, but is unable to proceed and does not understand the process.
The student gives recomendations on how the experiment should be carried out and understands the process, but is unable to proceed
The student gives recomendations on how the experiment should be carried out and understands the process, can proceed with the planing of the experiment.
E.g. teacher judgementPlanning an investigation
Teacher questions: How can the experiment be implemented? Which physical variable should be studied? How can connection be found between variables? What can you do in order to accurately fix the measurements? More exact questions in teacher support.
Skill: Student can formulate hypothesis (predictions) based on a question. Hypothesis may include comparisons (eg. metal will provide brighter light than graphite).
Teacher Oral Feedback:• Student can formulate an appropriate hypothesis and state it
appropriately (eg. gold will provide the brightest lamp).
• Student can formulate a hypothesis but with an inappropriate statement (e.g. lamp will light with salty water)
• Students cannot formulate a good hypothesis.
E.g. teacher feedback, Electricity Unit
1 2 3 4 5 6Student
doesn’t draw
mind map or
draws it
putting words
not
connected to
topic (can’t
explain the
connection to
the topic).
Student can
draw a mind
map containing
5 words
connected to
the topic, but
there is a lack of
connections
and relations
between them.
Student can draw a
mind map containing
more than 5 words
connected to the
topic and the
majority of the words
are from common
language. There is a
lack of connections
and relations
between words.
Student can draw a
mind map with
more than 8 words
connected to the
topic (majority of
words are from
common language).
Student draw the
connections
between some
words.
Student can draw a
mind map with
more than 10
words connected to
the topic (most of
words are from
common language).
Student draws
connections
between words but
the structure is not
very much
expanded.
Student can
draw a mind
map with more
than 10 words
connected to
the topic and
most of words
are scientific.
Student draws
proper relations
and
connections
between words.
E.g. teacher criteria, Electricity Unit
Skill: assess scientific literacy using mindmaps
Skill: assess scientific literacy using mindmaps
Teacher Oral Feedback:Student A – mark: 3 – mind map with more
than 10 words. Mind map only included
a few scientific terms.
Student D – mark: 6 - drew the mind map using
more than 10 words with a lot of key words.
Student used a lot of scientific terminology
and showed the relations between them.
E.g. teacher feedback, Electricity Unit
Forms of evidence
18
Worksheet
Student-teacher dialogue
Peer assessment
Teacher observation (Listening / Watching)
Progress Report
Student experimental workings, journal, plan, predictions,
results, experiment report etc.
Ample Cups / Traffic Light System
Worksheet
Summative test
Portfolio
Poster
Peer assessment
Student experimental workings, journal, plan, predictions,
results, experiment report etc.
Newspaper story
Presentation
During Activity:
Post Activity:
SAILS Teacher Education Programmes
• Experience inquiry and experience / realise assessment opportunities
• Support teachers trialling in school -planning, implementing, reflecting
• Support teachers developing own units/materials
• Based on SAILS Units
– Teacher approach and rationale– Modes of Assessment– Teacher judgements and criteria– Evidence collected– Feedback to students
BelgiumDenmarkGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandPolandPortugalSlovakiaTurkeySwedenUK
Getting Involved - SAILS CoP
COP members avail of the following benefits: – Publications Access to units and other publication from
the SAILS project
– Forums Discuss Inquiry-based Science Education (IBSE) issues with other likeminded contributors (nationally and internationally)
– Events Access to information on upcoming events as well as the opportunity to promote them
1 international CoP + 12 National CoPs
Overall PurposeTo encourage practitioners throughout Europe in the use of IBSE and the assessment frameworks developed in the project.
BelgiumDenmarkGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandPolandPortugalSlovakiaTurkeySwedenUK
All Contributions
Thinking Assessment in Science and Mathematics Conference, Dublin 2014
SAILS Community of Practice
• Framework for assessment of inquiry skills including scientific literacy and scientific reasoning and illustrative examples.
• SAILS Units
>20 science topics presenting inquiry and assessment activities and case studies of teachers classroom practice.
• Models for teacher education
culturally adapted programmes in inquiry and integrated assessment.
• European Community of practitioners
active in the teaching, learning and assessment of inquiry in science and sharing classroom experiences.
Outcome of SAILS
SAILS Collaborators • Odilla Finlayson, Eilish McLoughlin, Paul van Kampen, James Lovatt, Sarah
Brady, Deirdre McCabe, Dublin City University
• Marian Kires, Zuzana Jeskova, et al, Safarik University in Košice, Slovakia;
• Pawel Bernard, Dagmara Sokolowska et al, Jagiellonian University Poland;
• Paul Black, Christine Harrison, Brian Matthews, King's College London, UK;
• Beno Csapo, Csaba Csíkos, et al, University of Szeged, Hungary;
• Gunnar Friege, Maximilian Barth, Universität Hannover Germany;
• Mats Lundström, Malmö University, Anders Jönsson, Kristianstad University, Sweden;
• Claus Michelsen, Morten Rask Petersen, University of South Denmark,
• Cecília Galvão, Cláudia Gonçalves, Instituto de Educação da Universidadede Lisboa, Portugal;
• Gultekin Cakmakci , Yalcin et al Hacettepe University Turkey;
• Simeos Retalis, Yannis Psaromiligkos, University of Piraeus, Greece;
• Sally Reynolds, Joasia van Kooten, Mathy Vanbuel, ATiT; Wim Peeters, Belgium;
• Mark Melia, Joe Greene, Intel PLS Limited, Ireland.
www.sails-project.eu