2061 Connections
An electronic newsletter for the science education community

August 2011

New Approach to Science Assessment Needed

George DeBoer
George DeBoer
Deputy Director, Project 2061

In an editorial in the July 2011 issue of NSTA Reports, Project 2061’s deputy director George DeBoer calls for a new approach to science assessment, one that emphasizes testing as a tool for improving teaching and learning rather than for accountability.

Project 2061 recently launched its online bank of some 800 test items for topics in life, earth, and physical science and the nature of science. DeBoer shares some key lessons learned from that research and development experience, including the need for more  precision in the alignment between science learning goals and assessments and for items that are specifically designed to identify students’ misconceptions. “This is not a call to broaden assessments,” DeBoer writes, “but a call to sharpen assessments so they can become more powerful educational tools.”

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Read the full NSTA Reports editorial Assessment as a Tool for Improving Science Teaching and Learning.



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