Encouraging Students to Develop Scientific Thinking Skills: New Methods for Assessing Performance Elisa Stone Berkeley High School

Public high school More than 3000 students Heterogeneous - academic preparation & performance, socioeconomic status, race

What Is Teacher Research? A systematic, data-based inquiry that teachers use to improve their professional practice (Hatch, National Association for the Education of Young Children)

Question: What alternate forms of assessment are useful for measuring science learning, especially for students that do not perform well using traditional assessment methods?

- Curriculum-specific science content - Cross-curricular scientific thinking skills

How Did I Get Started? Interest in computer-based curricula and the opportunities for innovative methods of assessment Cell Reproduction & Disease Unit Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE,

WISE Curricula Link Students to Images, Animations & Web Activities

Opportunity for 1-on-1 Teacher-student interactions

Students Use Graphics Tools to Model Cell Division & Cancer Treatment

Knowledge Integration Scoring Scheme for Models 3 - Fully integrated: connects spindle structure to its function 2 - Intermediate: represents both chromosomes and spindle 1 - Basic: represents nucleus, may contain chromosomes or spindle but not both 0 - No answer or irrelevant

Analysis of Models Shows Gains in Student Understanding 3- fully integrated 2- intermediate 1- basic 0- none

More questions… How can I promote good group collaboration in the science classroom? How do I encourage students to see themselves as developing scientists, who practice specific skills for doing science?

Pre-test Name 3 skills that you think are important for doing science well, and explain why you picked them. What are your strengths in doing science?

Why focus on collaboration in a science classroom? Student learning increases when they –work in groups to solve complex problems –build on ideas of their peers in group projects Scientists collaborate to –share different areas of expertise –synthesize ideas & challenge conclusions

Successful Scientific Collaboration Contributing & Listening to Ideas Sharing in Work Equally Using Time Efficiently Making Decisions Discussing Science

How can instructors measure effective collaboration in the school setting?

Group Collaboration Rubric Students circle level: Exemplary, Developing or Beginner Students describe: - how they reached each level - their plan for improving next time

Student responses 1.Contributing Ideas: Developing. Everyone had ideas but kept them to themselves. 2.Sharing in Work Equally: Developing. We worked well, but some people did more work than others. 3.Using Time Efficiently: Developing. We could have worked harder in the beginning so we wouldnt have to rush in the end.

Student responses (cont.) 4.Making Decisions: Exemplary. We didnt argue about the project, and any decisions were easily made. 5.Discussing Science: Exemplatory. We clarified our research on the neurons and how to visualize it. I think we could even communicate more next time. Discussing Science: Beginner. Our team mostly talked about other things than science. If we talked more about science then our work would have been better quality.

Helping Students Develop Additional Science Skills Hands-on Experimental Work A to Z Science Skills Science Skills Quiz

Look at the A to Z Science Skills list, and pick 3 skills that you think you performed well in class or lab. 1. Skill _____________________ How did you demonstrate this skill?

Science Skills Quiz- Student 1 example

Student 1 example - after getting more specific

Science Skills Quiz- Student 2 example

Science Skills Quiz- Student 3 example

Science Skills Quiz- Student 4 example

Post-test Name 3 skills that you think are important for doing science well, and explain why you picked them. What are your strengths in doing science?

Scoring Scheme for Pre/post tests 3 - Full: more than 1 science-related skill, or gives a detailed explanation of 1 experimental skill 2 - Intermediate: 1 science-related skill, including collaboration 1 - Basic: general skills/ academic skills 0 - No answer or irrelevant

Pre vs Post-test Analysis n = 49

–Implement Group Collaboration Rubric in one class –Simultaneously implement Science Skills Quiz in a paired class –Pre, post and mid-year assessment –Mid-year, switch classes This Year: A Controlled Experiment

Summary Students learn to value general scientific research & collaboration skills Students develop a language for describing their strengths in science Students struggle with being specific Opportunity for teacher to work individually with struggling students

Acknowledgements Funding for 2007 ASCB meeting attendance Berkeley High School Development Group BHS Teacher colleaguesUC Berkeley School of Ed Steven FongTELS Center Jessica Quindel WISE Research Group Dan Appel Marcia Linn Todd HigashiProject IMPACT Marnie Curry My Thomas Phillip