ABSTRACT

The onset of the Next-Generation Science Standards [NGSS] has created a need for elementary teachers to develop purposeful, multi-dimensional formative assessments (FAs). In order to promote this process, we utilized teacher learning communities (TLCs) and practice-based professional development focused on key aspects of the reform while documenting how four teachers in rural elementary schools cyclically developed and revised several FAs during a two-year project. Utilizing a multi-case embedded case study design, primary data collected included multiple teacher-developed, classroom-embedded FAs (including student work samples), recurrent audio of conversations wherein teachers discussed the results of their FAs with peers in their TLC, and five teacher interviews. The findings, though not intended to be generalizable, detail how developing FAs helped two of the teachers expose both instructional and assessment-related vulnerabilities as they learned more about the NGSS and the value of purposefully eliciting their student’s thinking in a multi-dimensional manner. Conversely, the other two teachers maintained a prior preference for developing FAs that targeted the memorization of science content—though they did provide students with more “space” to reveal their thinking via more open-ended prompts. This adjustment unfortunately caused numerous challenges for students, as they struggled to provide the “correct” responses the pair sought. Implications discuss how the connections between instruction and assessment can become more tightly intertwined whilst cyclically designing FAs, with an emphasis on the science and engineering practices. Recommendations for future research stemming from outside and within the classroom, as well as practitioner-based supports are discussed.

摘要

下一代科学标准 [NGSS] 的出台使小学教师需要开发有目的的、多维的形成性评估 (FAs)。为了推动这一进程，我们利用教师学习社区 (TLC) 和以实践为基础的专业发展，重点关注改革的关键方面，同时记录了农村小学的四名教师如何在一个为期两年的项目中周期性地制定和修订几个 FA。利用多案例嵌入式案例研究设计，收集的主要数据包括多个教师开发的课堂嵌入式 FA（包括学生作业样本）、教师在 TLC 中与同龄人讨论其 FA 结果的重复对话音频，以及五个老师访谈。这些发现虽然不是为了推广，详细介绍了开发 FA 如何帮助两位教师在更多地了解 NGSS 以及有目的地以多维方式引发学生思考的价值时暴露教学和评估相关的漏洞。相反，另外两位老师仍然倾向于开发以记忆科学内容为目标的 FA——尽管他们确实为学生提供了更多“空间”，通过更开放的提示来揭示他们的想法。不幸的是，这种调整给学生带来了许多挑战，因为他们努力提供两人寻求的“正确”答案。启示讨论了教学和评估之间的联系如何在循环设计 FA 时变得更加紧密地交织在一起，重点是科学和工程实践。