ABSTRACT

There has been a growing need felt by practitioners, researchers, and evaluators to obtain a common measure of science engagement that can be used in different out-of-school time (OST) science learning settings. We report on the development and validation of a novel 10-item self-report instrument designed to measure, communicate, and ultimately help promote science engagement among youth: the Common Instrument (CI). When administered to 7,521 elementary and middle school students participating in OST science programming, CI items were found to have good psychometric properties – showing strong item discrimination and a range of difficulties, little difference in item functioning by grade-level, gender, or race/ethnicity, good unidimensionality, stability over time, and a small standard error of measurement over a large variety of science engagements. Given its properties, the CI is a reasonable way to collect data on science engagement in a wide range of OST science programs. Common measures, like the CI, that are reliable and valid provide a common language that enables programs to describe their strengths and challenges and make decisions about adapting and improving their approaches. Common measures are also essential for collective impact initiatives that need brief, easy-to-administer instruments to assess progress and impact of their change-making processes.

摘要

从业人员，研究人员和评估人员越来越需要获得一种通用的科学参与度度量标准，以用于不同的课外时间（OST）科学学习环境。我们报告了一种新型的10项自我报告工具的开发和验证，该工具旨在测量，交流并最终帮助促进青少年中的科学参与：通用工具（CI）。当对参加OST科学计划的7,521名中小学生进行管理时，发现CI项目具有良好的心理计量特性–显示出强烈的项目歧视和一系列困难，项目功能在年级，性别或种族方面几乎没有差异/种族，良好的一维性，长期稳定性，以及各种科学活动中的小标准测量误差。鉴于其性质，CI是收集各种OST科学计划中科学参与数据的合理方式。可靠且有效的通用措施（如CI）提供了一种通用语言，使程序能够描述其优势和挑战，并就适应和改进其方法做出决策。对于需要短暂且易于管理的工具来评估其变更过程的进度和影响的集体影响计划，通用措施也至关重要。可靠且有效的语言提供了一种通用语言，使程序能够描述其优势和挑战，并就适应和改进其方法做出决策。对于需要短暂且易于管理的工具来评估其变更过程的进度和影响的集体影响计划，通用措施也至关重要。可靠且有效的语言提供了一种通用语言，使程序能够描述其优势和挑战，并就适应和改进其方法做出决策。对于需要短暂且易于管理的工具来评估其变更过程的进度和影响的集体影响计划，通用措施也至关重要。