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Systems of Science Assessment

Importance of Science Assessment Systems

System of Assessment iconTruly understanding what students know and can do in science requires synthesizing evidence from a system of assessments that includes elements at various levels, from the classroom to the school to the state. The critical piece is having groups of educators come together and talk about student performance across multiple assessments and how that provides evidence of progress toward a vision for science education, which should be the core of the Educator Effectiveness and SLO goal process. Components of an assessment system could include: formative performance tasks, lab reports, projects, scientific research, notebooks/portfolios, surveys, and statewide summative tests.

What Does a System of Assessment Look Like in Science?

Surveys

Surveys should be an important part of an assessment system. They can provide a sense of students' self-efficacy in science and their understanding of the nature of science. 

Notebooks and Portfolios 

Notebooks are a critical piece of the work of scientists and engineers. If students are not notebooking, they NOT are working like professionals in these fields. Both notebooks and portfolios can be an important piece of the assessment system, providing insights into student thinking not available in other ways. Ideally, students will have a role in designing and evaluating their notebooks and portfolios.