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

这是一份为期12个月的探索性研究早期概念补助金协作性提案，提交给NSF 17-584的探索研究PreK-12(DRK-12)。SRI国际、加州大学伯克利分校(Lawrence Hall Of Science)和WestEd将共同努力，阐明一种潜在的变革性方法，以设计基于课堂的新型三维评估任务，衡量一年级学生在综合科学和扫盲学习方面的熟练程度。这项研究的主要目标将是进行探索性设计工作，以产生设计方法和早期任务，这是创建研究和开发计划的关键输入，以更充分地为早期年级开发一套创新的评估任务。这项工作的具体目标将是：(1)反复开发和改进一种设计方法，使评估设计者能够开发与下一代科学标准(NGSS)相一致的任务和规则，其中包括早期年级的识字部分；(2)使用这种设计方法来创建两个可用于课堂使用的范例评估任务；以及(3)收集初步证据，以说明设计方法的前景。这项工作的研究问题将是：我们如何扩展现有的方法，为早期学习者创建整合NGSS和识字三个维度的评估？本研究将选取一年级作为学习环境，并以两名新高中一年级学生的表现期望作为评估目标。一年级学生通常处于发展他们的语言和识字能力的关键时刻，这将使团队能够应对语言和识字技能变化的挑战。相应地，这项研究将选择两个NGSS一年级生命科学表现预期，因为它们包括与科学中的扫盲实践的直接联系：(1)从分子到生物体：结构和过程(阅读文本并使用媒体来确定帮助后代存活的父母和后代的行为模式)；以及(2)遗传：特征的遗传和变异(进行观察，以构建一个基于证据的描述，即幼年植物和动物类似，但不完全像它们的父母)。活动的设计阶段将包括对研究的学习背景和目标的评估，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)制定评估框架，包括以证据为中心的设计方法原则评估。数据收集和口译战略将包括专家对设计方法的审查、教师重点小组(n=8)和研究人员对学生进行的一对一认知访谈(n=20)，这些访谈将被记录下来，以确定使用定性方法进行评估的质量和可用性。拟议工作的最终结果将是一种设计方法，用于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团队提供形成性评估反馈。探索研究PREK-12计划(DRK-12)旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高Pre-K-12学生和教师在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)方面的学习和教学。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经验上的证明。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.