Collaborative Research: Articulating a Transformative Approach for Designing Tasks that Measure Young Learners' Developing Proficiencies in Integrated Science and Literacy

这是一项为期12个月的探索性研究（EAGER）合作项目，已提交给Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12), NSF 17-584。SRI国际、加州大学伯克利分校（劳伦斯科学馆）和西施泰德将共同努力，阐述一种潜在的变革方法，设计新型的基于课堂的三维评估任务，以衡量一年级学生在综合科学和识字学习方面的熟练程度。本研究的主要目标是开展探索性设计工作，以产生设计方法和早期阶段的任务，这些任务是创建研究和开发计划的关键输入，以更充分地开发一套针对早期年级的创新评估任务。这项工作的具体目标将是：(1)迭代开发和完善一种设计方法，使评估设计者能够开发与下一代科学标准（NGSS）一致的任务和标准，其中包括早期年级的识字部分；(2)使用这种设计方法创建两个可在课堂上使用的典型评估任务；(3)收集初步证据，告知设计方法的承诺。这项工作的研究问题将是：我们如何扩展当前的方法来创建评估，将NGSS的三个维度和早期学习者的读写能力结合起来？本研究将选择一年级作为学习环境，并选择NGSS一年级表现期望中的两个作为评估目标。一年级学生通常处于语言和读写能力发展的关键阶段，这将使团队能够应对语言和读写技能变化的挑战。相应地，本研究将选择两个NGSS一年级生命科学表现期望，因为它们包括与科学素养实践的直接联系：(1)从分子到生物体：结构和过程（阅读文本和使用媒体来确定父母和后代的行为模式，帮助后代生存）；(2)遗传：性状的遗传和变异（通过观察来建立一个基于证据的描述，说明年轻的植物和动物很像，但不完全像它们的父母）。该活动的设计阶段将包括对学习背景和研究目标的评估，以及根据国家研究中心的报告“为下一代科学标准设计评估”（2014年）制定评估框架，包括原则性评估证据为中心的设计方法。数据收集和解释策略将包括专家对设计方法的审查，教师焦点小组（n=8），以及由研究人员进行的对学生的一对一认知访谈（n=20），这些访谈将被记录下来，以使用定性方法确定评估的质量和可用性。这项工作的最终成果将是一种设计方法，以原则性的方式为小学低年级学生创建跨科学学科的评估任务。咨询委员会将向研究小组提供形成性评估反馈。探索研究preK-12项目（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高preK-12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This is a 12-month collaborative EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) proposal submitted to the Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12), NSF 17-584. SRI International, University of California-Berkeley (Lawrence Hall of Science), and WestEd will join efforts to articulate a potentially transformative approach for designing new kinds of classroom-based, three-dimensional assessment tasks that measure first graders' proficiencies in integrated science and literacy learning. The main goal of this study will be to conduct exploratory-design work to produce both the design approach and the early-stage tasks that are critical inputs for creating a program of research and development to more fully develop a suite of innovative assessment tasks for the early grades. Specific goals of the effort will be: (1) to iteratively develop and refine a design approach that enables assessment designers to develop Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned tasks and rubrics that include a literacy component for the early grades; (2) to use this design approach to create two exemplar assessment tasks that are feasible for classroom use; and (3) to collect initial evidence that informs the promise of the design approach. The work's research question will be: How can we extend current methodology to create assessments that integrate the three dimensions of the NGSS and literacy for early learners? The study will select first grade as the learning environment and two of the NGSS first grade performance expectations as the assessment targets. First grade students are typically at a critical point in developing their language and literacy proficiencies, which will allow the team to take on the challenges of variation in language and literacy skills. Correspondingly, the study will select two NGSS first grade life sciences performance expectations, because they include direct ties to literacy practices in science: (1) From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes (Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive); and (2) Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits (Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like their parents). The design phase of the activity will consist of an assessment of the learning context and targets of the study, and the development of an assessment framework following the National Research Center's report, "Designing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards" (2014), including the principled assessment evidence-centered-design methodology. Data gathering, and interpretation strategies will include Experts' Review of the design approach, a focus group of teachers (n=8), and one-on-one cognitive interviews with students (n=20), conducted by researchers, which will be recorded to determine the quality and usability of the assessments using qualitative methods. The ultimate outcome of the proposed work will be a design approach for creating assessment tasks in a principled way across science disciplines for early elementary grade students. An advisory board will provide formative assessment feedback to the research team. The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.