Assessing Student Learning in Science

Assessing Student Learning in Science

Careful assessment of what students know and are able to do is increasingly important at the local, state and national levels. Information from "high stakes" tests are now used for a variety of purposes including student advancement, and teacher and program evaluation. In the classroom, most interactions between teacher and students provide an opportunity to examine student understanding or skills. Whether formal or informal, research shows that high quality assessment can have a positive impact on student achievement. But how can teachers develop and use assessment procedures that bridge the gap between theory and practice? What resources are available to help bridge this gap? And what does it look like in the classroom? The workshop will provide answers to these questions and more — and will feature a look at new tools for formative and summative assessment procedures.

This is a one-day workshop.  Participants will receive a copy of Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards, published by the National Academy Press, and their choice of one of four volumes of Uncovering Student Ideas in Science:  25 Formative Assessment Probes, Vols 1-4, by Page Keeley, et. al., and published by NSTA Press.