ROLE Proposal: Formative Assessment in Science through Technology (FAST)

Hudson Public Schools, Hudson MA

Investigators

Abstract

The FAST proposal seeks to integrate developmental mappings of students understanding of science topics with formative assessment. The basic idea is that developmental maps can form the framework for assessing students' knowledge of science concepts and for the design of follow-up student experiences. The project extends the Minstrell Diagnoser concept down to the elementary level. The project would involve generating mappings of two science concepts and then collecting data to validate student's classification. Later phases of the work would lead teachers to use the results of the formative assessment to improve student learning. To do this, they would employ hand-held computers to record individual students' states within the facet map. This diagnostic placement would then become the basis of teacher reflection. The investigators are cognizant of the reality of limited time on the part of the teacher. The hand-held computers will display information about possible instructional strategies given the state of the learner's understanding. Data collection devices will be teacher journals, classroom observation, and student assessments