ERIC Number: EJ1021687
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 43
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0305-7267
EISSN: N/A
The Assessment of Practical Work in School Science
Abrahams, Ian; Reiss, Michael J.; Sharpe, Rachael M.
Studies in Science Education, v49 n2 p209-251 2013
This article reviews how practical work, including practical skills, is currently summatively assessed in school science in a number of countries and makes comparisons with how other subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, summatively assess skills. Whilst practical skills in school science are clearly valued as being of importance, there is a lack of clarity as to what these skills actually are and how they might, most effectively, be validly assessed. Countries vary greatly in the extent to which they employ what we term "Direct Assessment of Practical Skills" (DAPS) or "Indirect Assessment of Practical Skills" (IAPS). Each of these approaches has advantages and disadvantages but we conclude that too great reliance on IAPS reduces the likelihood that practical work will be taught and learnt as well as it might be.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Summative Evaluation, Student Evaluation, Science Process Skills, Science Education, Secondary School Science, Science Tests, Exit Examinations, Advanced Placement Programs, Vocational Education, STEM Education, Geography, Technology, Modern Languages, Second Languages, Music, Performance Based Assessment, Comparative Analysis
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia; China; Finland; France; New Zealand; Singapore; United Kingdom (England); United Kingdom (Scotland)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Program for International Student Assessment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A