Assessing Scientific Inquiry

Presented by:

Goals for Scoring Sessions Learn to reliably score student work

using the Scoring Guide. Understand that knowledge of the

scoring guide is needed to elicit scorable student work.

Score student work--anchor papers, “new” candidate anchor papers and your own students’ work.

Have fun and learn from each other!

A Science Challenge! What do you know about straws and how

you can use them to move objects? We claim: “Characteristics of the straw will

control how far you can blow the cotton ball” Carry out a quick investigation (10 minutes) As a team, report your findings to the group.

Assessing Your InquiryFantastic!GoodSo-soNeeds workEmbarrassing

Enter the Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guide…

It defines the important aspects of a task,

provides clear assessment guidance,

and promotes uniformity of assessment and feedback to students/teachers.

Oregon's Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guide

Was developed to include the following… Science content mastery as assessed with a

standardized knowledge and skills test and Science process which must be experienced

and practiced. Process (via work sample) is assessed

using the scoring guide

What are the scoring dimensions?

4 Dimensions: Forming a Question or Hypothesis Designing an Investigation Collecting and Presenting Analyzing and Interpreting Results

Can you build the scoring guide?.. Puzzle Activity

A, N, C Pattern…

 

2002 - 2003 Official Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guide

Forming Question or Hypothesis Based on observations and scientific concepts, ask questions or form hypotheses that can be answered or tested through scientific investigations.

Designing an Investigation Design a scientific investigation that provides sufficient data to answer a question or test a hypothesis.

6 A) N) C)

A) N) C)

6

5 A) N) C)

A) N) C)

5

4 A) N) C)

A) N) C)

4

A,N,C…The Mysterious “Threads”

What do the “Threads” represent?

Why were they created?Which are more important?

A, N, C…

A: Application of Scientific Knowledge

N: Nature of Scientific Inquiry

C: Communication

Scientific Inquiry in Your Classroom

Which dimensions do you already spend the most time doing in the classroom?

Activity: Chart your own classroom investigations into a dimension.

Scientific InquiryScoring Scale 6

54

ExemplaryStrong

Proficient 3 Developing2 Emerging1 Beginning

Scientific Inquiry Key Distinctions

Within the Threads…what differentiates a 3 and a 4?

Important Issues! What do we mean by “preponderance of

evidence?” Can evidence from throughout the work be

used to score each dimension? Did you know, beginning this year, one work

sample is required per year beginning in 4th grade?

Phase In Schedule and Work Sample Guidelines and FAQ documents are located in Science Teaching & Learning to Standards http://www.ode.state.or.us/tls/science/

OK, OK Let’s do some scoring already!……But first, some rules.Rules of the Road for scoring…

We are not here to change the guide. We are not here to dispute the anchor

papers or the tasks. We ARE here to understand that

experienced teachers have reached scoring consensus.

We ARE here to calibrate our scoring.

Scoring the First Anchor Paper!

The anchor paper: “for each Benchmark” Met the Standards in each dimension Why this score? Make notes and discuss with a

partner.

Assessment is only truly successful when results are used to improve instruction for individual students.

-Johnson, 1987

Scoring to Improve Student Success:

Words of Wisdom

Remember the rules…Rules of the Road for scoring…

We are not here to change the guide. We are not here to dispute the anchor

papers or the tasks. We ARE here to understand that

experienced teachers have reached scoring consensus.

We ARE here to calibrate our scoring.

Scoring more papers… Remaining Anchor papers Score each paper (whole numbers…

be brave…and don’t peek!) Compare at table, reach consensus? Tally scores/reveal anchor scores Be sure to align yourself with

consensus scores.

Scientific InquiryDocumentation Sheet PAPER

# F D C&P A&I COMMENTS

Scientific InquiryScoring Sheet

Anchor Paper #

Score Point F D C&P A&I

6

5

4

3

2

1

Anchor Scores

Learning from student work…

What do we tell the student?What do we learn as the teacher?

How does this inform our instruction?

T-CHART the feedback…

End of Session #2

Goals for Session #3Introduce formative assessment

Provide Research Base

Develop and apply process for formative assessment

Formative Assessment and the Scoring Guide

Scoring Guide is intended to be more than a final assessment tool.

Teachers and Students both can improve inquiry skills through use of the scoring guide.

Value of Feedback

Research suggests FEEDBACK is MORE important than

grades.

Research Basis of Formative Assessment

Writing assignment with students using well-known scoring criteria

Three treatments - Students received Grades alone Grades + feedback Feedback alone

Performance improved only in group that received feedback alone!

( Butler,R. 1987 and 1988)

Student work

Scoring guide

Scores Feedback(For state/district) (For students/teachers)

The Role of Formative Assessment in Inquiry

Formative Assessment Process

Targeted Oregon Science Standards

Student Inquiry Work

ID gaps between standards and student work

Classroom Instruction? Student Performance?

What should we do? What should students do?

Practicing FeedbackLook at the chosen piece of

student workUse Highlighting colorsMake notes as you identify gaps;

note implications for both student and teacher.

T-chart recording

Classroom Issues Time to score PLUS time to

generate feedback Who provides feedback ( can

students help each other)? Forms of feedback

The Journey Continues

For more information contact Leslie Phillips, Office of Assessment and Evaluation, Oregon Department of Education

leslie.phillips@state.or.us or 503-378-3600 Ext. 2317