Secondary Science Teachers' Implementation of Formative Assessments in a Learning Progression–Based Environmental Science Curriculum

• In Event: Assessing for Learning: Exploring Assessment Strategies for Supporting Conceptual Change

Abstract

We investigated 16 secondary science teachers’ implementation of formative assessments in the context of learning progression-based curricular units. We qualitatively analyzed video of classroom instruction to identify when teachers used curricular formative assessments to engage students in productive discussions. We then characterized each teacher’s use of formative assessments as emergent, transitional, or sophisticated. We further analyzed the curricular materials to determine how the curriculum supported and/or constrained teachers’ implementation. We found limited teacher use of formative assessments recommended in the curricular materials. We also found that a given teacher was inconsistent in the quality of his or her implementation of formative assessments. In our implications, we discuss ways to strengthen connections between learning progression frameworks and formative assessment implementation.

Authors

• Stacey L. Carpenter, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Tobias Irish, Willamette University

• Katherine Joy Nilsen, University of San Diego

• Julie Bianchini, University of California - Santa Barbara