Culturally Relevant Assessment of Numeracy in Science Education

• In Event: STEM Education: Assessment, Identity, and Support

Abstract

Numeracy, the ability to execute contextualized computations, is a vital skill to possess in modern society, and one that is often formally developed in post-secondary science courses. Due to the spatial injustice historically experienced by Students of Color (SoC) in these spaces, there is a lack of research-supported strategies for assessing numeracy in SoC in a culturally responsive manner. We will overview our validated numeracy assessment and discuss our evaluation of its cultural relevance via item response theory methods to test for differential item functioning and qualitative focus groups to understand students’ perspectives on the assessment items. We will also discuss how this approach to test creation is necessary to facilitate the numeracy development of SoC in science-related fields.

Authors

• Vonna Hemmler, Amherst College

• Isaac Rosenthal, Amherst College

• Katherine Follette, Amherst College

• Erin F.C. Galyen, University of Arizona

• Sanlyn Buxner, University of Arizona

• Catherine Sarosi, Wesleyan University