Dear Teachers of STEM program,
It is always a pleasure to speak to you! I feel that it is my privilege that I am addressing you today. Your work in the area of STEM is indeed commendable. We have been exploring it together and have come a long way. While we are developing great tasks, and that is the long way we have come; we still need some scaffolding with the assessments, and that is the way we still need to go.
And that is the area to explore for us now. Today I want to share with you my understanding in assessment for STEM. There are three main ideas that form the core of my understanding of assessment in STEM.
My Main Ideas
1. Assess in three dimensions (Bell, Van Horne, Penuel, & Stromholt, 2016):
STEM operates in multiple dimensions. Hence its assessment also needs multiple dimensions to adequately cover all the aspects of the same. I may have a core subject, for example, maths, but I am also cross-cutting it with other subjects such as Science, Technology and Engineering. Hence the tasks that we choose also need multiple components to the same.
2. Assess continuously (Coffey, & Black, 2001):
During any school lesson, opportunities arise to assess continuously. For a project on learning about the soil texture, for example, students move outdoors and examine the nature of multiple types of soils that they find.
3. Assess using a rubric (Developing Rubrics, n.d.):
A rubric is a descriptive guideline. It has a triple aspect – to set goals, reflect and rate. As a goal setter, it helps students to set their benchmarks high. As a reflective tool, it helps them to reflect on the work done in a constructive manner. And it is a transparent rating scale for the teacher to judge the work.
Some Challenges and how do we handle them.
Is there anything without a challenge? Assessing in multiple dimensions may be hard. Keep it task-based (Brualdi, 2000). Assessing continuously can be cognitively draining. Keep it formal and informal. Finally, for rubrics, the best way may be to involve the students in the development of the same (Brualdi, 2000).
Finally, Some Tips!
What can we do if not share our tips and tricks? Develop an attitude of empathy towards errors. STEM is a program that requires an approach of perseverance in trying again and again. Keep the same attitude to yourself. Allow errors and be empathic towards yourself too.
Be gender unbiased. Girls or boys, STEM is for all. If we have this attitude ourselves, then we transfer it to the students.
References
- Bell, P., Van Horne, K., Penuel, B., & Stromholt, S. (2016). How can assessments be designed to engage students in the range of science and engineering practices? http://stemteachingtools.org/brief/26
- Brualdi, A. (2000). Implementing performance assessment in the classroom. http://www.ascd.org/publications/classroom-leadership/feb2000/Implementing-Performance-Assessment-in-the-Classroom.aspx
- Coffey, J., & Black, P. (2001). Read "Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards" at NAP.edu. https://www.nap.edu/read/9847/chapter/5.
- Developing Rubrics (n.d.). https://assess.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2011/06/Developing-Rubrics.pdf.
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