Assessing the Cultural Validity of Science & Mathematics Assessments

本研究旨在了解和评估在小学广泛使用的科学和数学评估的文化有效性。本研究的目的是了解来自不同文化背景的学生对特定形式的测试项目的反应，以便使这些因素更加明确，然后在标准化测试的开发中加以考虑。调查人员将从国家教育进展评估（NAEP）中选择测试项目，对从中国城市到农村的不同人群进行测试。研究人员建议与每个文化群体单独合作，并要求他们在解决评估项目时“自言自语”。学生将解释他们是如何理解这个项目的，以及他们是如何将其内容与他们的个人经历联系起来的。另一种工具将用于衡量社会文化活动。

This study seeks to understand and assess the cultural validity of science and mathematics assessments used widely in elementary schools. The aim of the study is to understand how students from different cultures react to specific forms of test items so that the factors can be made more explicit and then considered in the development of standardized tests. The investigators will administer test items selected from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) to diverse populations ranging from Chinese urban to rural Yup'ik. The investigators propose to work individually with each cultural group and ask them to "think aloud" as they engage in solving items on the assessment. Students will explain how they interpreted the item and how they relate its content to their personal experience. Another instrument would be used to measure soci-cultural activity.