Multilevel Assessment for Discourse, Understanding, and Achievement

• Published in: The Journal of the learning sciences Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 522 - 582
• Main Authors: Hickey, Daniel T., Zuiker, Steven J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 01-10-2012; Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Achievement Tests; Alignment (Education); Classroom observation; Cognitive Psychology; Cognitive Science; Comparative Analysis; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Simulation; Computer Software; Control Groups; Curricula; Curriculum Implementation; Design principles; Educational Assessment; Educational innovation; Educational Practices; Educational research; Evaluation Problems; Federal Aid; Feedback (Response); Formative Evaluation; Genetic inheritance; Genetics; Grade 9; High School Students; Innovations; Inquiry method; Instructional Effectiveness; Instructional Innovation; Instructional Material Evaluation; Learning; Performance Based Assessment; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Research design; Science activities; Science education; Science Instruction; Secondary education; Situational Tests; Student Evaluation; Teachers; United States (Southeast); Urban Schools
• ISSN: 1050-8406; 1532-7809
• DOI: 10.1080/10508406.2011.652320

Evaluating the impact of instructional innovations and coordinating instruction, assessment, and testing present complex tensions. Many evaluation and coordination efforts aim to address these tensions by using the coherence provided by modern cognitive science perspectives on domain-specific learning. This paper introduces an alternative framework that uses emerging situative assessment perspectives to align learning across increasingly formal levels of educational practice. This framework emerged from 2 design studies of a 20-hr high school genetics curriculum that used the GenScope computer-based modeling software. The 1st study aligned learning across (a) the contextualized enactment of inquiry-oriented activities in GenScope, (b) "feedback conversations" around informal embedded assessments, and (c) a formal performance assessment; the 2nd study extended this alignment to a conventional achievement test. Design-based refinements ultimately delivered gains of nearly 2 SD on the performance assessment and more than 1 SD in achievement. These compared to gains of 0.25 and 0.50 SD, respectively, in well-matched comparison classrooms. General and specific assessment design principles for aligning instruction, assessment, and testing and for evaluating instructional innovations are presented.