“Assessment as Discourse”: A Pre-Service Physics Teacher’s Evolving Capacity to Support an Equitable Pedagogy
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Lens: Integrating Science and Language in Classroom Assessment
3. Conceptualizing “Assessment Expertise” in Support of an Equitable Pedagogy
Limited | Introduction | Implementing | Elaborating |
---|---|---|---|
Equity: Fairness | |||
Does not consider the fairness (bias) of assessment for LMs | Considers the fairness (bias) of assessment for ELs, such as that (a) students come in with various backgrounds, (b) language /culture influence assessment performance, (c) multiple forms of assessment should be used, or (d) assessment features (content, structure) should be match to the context of instruction | Considers at least 1 strategy that draws attention to the influence of language and culture on assessments (e.g., modify language, scaffold language, modeling, differentiate assessments) | Considers at least 1 strategy for incorporating students’ language/culture in the design/use of assessment |
Equity: Access | |||
Does not consider opportunities for LMs to engage in complex thinking, develop language, or fully participate | Considers assessments that allows students to talk science, read or write authentic science texts, or learn the language of science but does not explicitly link this to a need for LMs | Considers (explicitly) how assessment can help LMs fully participate in science, promote complex thinking, or develop language | Considers (explicitly) how assessment can help LMs fully participate in science, promote complex thinking, or develop language AND how to provide feedback tailored to LM needs |
4. Study Context
5. Method
5.1. Research Design
5.2. Case Study Selection
- How does the role of language figure into the teacher’s expertise at assessing science throughout the course of his teacher education program?
- How does the teacher address language while assessing science during a culminating teaching practicum event?
Use Dimension | Equity Dimension | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 2010 | December 2010 | May 2011 | July 2010 | December 2010 | May 2011 | |
Darlene | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Dean | 3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Glenda | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Hallie | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Lauren | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Matt | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Michael | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Teresa | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Whitney | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Willow | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Yvonne | 2 | NA a | 4 | 2 | NA a | 4 |
5.3. Case Study Data Sources and Collection
Beginning of the program (July 2010) | During the program (August 2010 to April 2011) | Toward the end of the program (May 2011) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Interview 1 | Interview 2 | Interview 3 | Semi-structured with question probes (see Appendix) |
Assessment plan and critique 1 | Assessment plan and critique 2 | Assessment plan and critique 3 | Written responses to two open-ended prompts (see Table 4) |
Teacher products | Teacher products | See Table 4 | |
PACT observations | Audiotaped. Included written field notes and self-reported reflection during interview 3 |
Teacher Product (when collected) | Description |
---|---|
Survey assessment plan | Choose one of the following science topics–Mendelian genetics, acids and bases, light and optics, or earthquakes, “describe in as much detail as possible how you would assess student learning during this unit,” and “explain why you would assess this way.” |
Survey assessment critique | Describe and explain to what extent Ms. Sanchez’s assessment practices were effective, describe what they would do differently, and list other information (if any) they would like to have about the scenario to comment on her assessment practices. |
Teaching and Learning in a Diverse Society final project (August 2010) | Describe three activities to teach a particular science standard and two assessments to assess the learning objectives. Identify (a) relevant learning theories; (b) language demands; and (c) responsiveness for diverse learners. |
Science Education Theory assessment case studies (October–December 2010) | Based upon the assessment scenario you observed/participated in and discussed, what modifications would you make (if any) to the assessment and how the information from the assessment is used? How would these modifications support learning and promote equitable assessment for LMs? |
Science Education Theory equity essay (November 2010) | Using specific examples from class discussions and readings to date, address the following issues: |
1) What do you see as the major equity/diversity themes in science education? | |
2) What does it mean to contextualize science instruction and what is the rationale/purpose for contextualization? | |
3) What does it mean to equitably assess students in science and what is the rationale/purpose for this? | |
Science Education Theory final project (December 2010) | Based on your research into the central concepts, facts, procedures, beliefs, and connections for this topic, describe one appropriate strategy for assessing your topic. Specially discuss: |
1) What theories of learning does the assessment task connect to? | |
2) How will you interpret what students know and can do? | |
3) How can the assessment be used to support learning and other goals associated with that topic? | |
4) How will you address issues of equity, particularly for English learners? | |
Performance Assessment for California Teachers (May 2011) | Task 1: Context for learning |
Task 2: Planning instruction and assessment | |
Task 3: Instructing students and supporting learning | |
Task 4: Assessing student learning | |
Task 5: Reflecting on teaching and learning |
5.4. Case Study Analysis
Interviewer question: What, in particular, would you do to make assessment fairer or more equitable for English learners [Language Minorities]? | ||
Raw Data [Bolded = structurally coded as “Equity Dimension”] | 1st cycle (descriptive) coding | |
Interview 1 | ||
Well I don’t have much experience with it yet but I guess just making sure… Like if I’m giving a written test a, like make sure all the vocab that I use is stuff that we covered in class b and that there isn’t anything new and then you know I guess if there was that they could raise their hand and I could talk to them about it and make sure that they understand… You know like restructure the question in a way that make more sense to them c. So I guess paying attention to vocabd and then also I guess giving them different ways to answer the questions because it might be harder for them to respond in English to a complex science question d,e. I can’t think of how I would do this right now, but just have different ways for them to answer the question e. | a Attention to literacy or discourse | |
b Opportunity to learn content | ||
c Language scaffold | ||
d Recognize influence of language/culture | ||
e Multiple assessment forms | ||
Interview 3 | ||
So I guess like if depending on the level of English Language proficiency d... I would probably lean less on the writing and now that I just mentioned... I really like the writing a... I would probably provide some other type of... I was just showing them the picture. Like having them work with partners... Like a bilingual student who can help them flush out their writing or just having like a more interview type assessment c... I think that might be kind of high pressure for them with me. Or somehow providing some other scaffolds so that it gets... Well I haven't really used it too much but I like our like matching exercises where instead of them having too think of all this new language on their own d, like they have pictures and like simple written descriptions and where they match up togetherc.... So they don't have to like you know think of it on their own but where they're showing that they know what's going on and that they can like if giving the resources could put it together e.. | a Attention to literacy or discourse | |
b Opportunity to learn content | ||
c Language scaffold | ||
d Recognize influence of | ||
language/culture | ||
e Multiple assessment forms | ||
Interview 1 | Interview 3 | 2nd Cycle (longitudinal) coding |
“So I guess paying attention to vocab d” | “Depending on the level of English Language proficiency d” | More sophisticated attention to student context (language proficiency) |
“it might be harder for them to respond in English to a complex science question d,e” | “I like our like matching exercises where instead of them having too think of all this new language on their own d” | |
Specific action to address language demand (matching exercise) | ||
Stable view of language as just a barrier |
6. “Assessment in Discourse”: The Case Study of Dean
6.1. Introducing Dean
‘So I am trying to be as visual as possible [while assessing] so you don’t really even need language to understand the problem. So you can do that with a general type of question and “here is a ball at the top of the ramp, what is the velocity at the bottom?” like math problems where you have to work your way through and kind of plug and jug questions but also for multiple choice questions, there is a way to explain to do assessment for optics or something and you can draw different pathways for light or something, but circle the correct one. So I think visual type of questions…would be good because you bypass the whole language thing.’ (Interview 1)
6.2. Dean’s Evolving Expertise at Assessing Science
‘I mean the goal is to make language less of an issue…The goal is to…try to understand what they [students] know about content without … docking them for language … I feel like it’s more valid assessment is what I am trying to say… of their knowledge of the concept.’
‘I think… equitable assessment is kinda more based on progress…in the language domain. So, um, when I write those little questions…they kinda challenge them to take things a step further like the quality of their responses…And so, to equitably assess … I just need to really have a back and forth with the student to make sure that … it’s not for lack of…inability to communicate that they aren’t getting their ideas across’. (Interview 3)
‘It’s going to be hard to sort of separate, um, assessing the language versus assessing the content, and I think it’s my job to teach them language, but I guess I’m unclear as to whether I should be grading language improvement on top of content improvement or understanding.’
6.3. Dean’s Assessment Practices during an Assessment Episode
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Conflict of Interest
Appendix
Teacher Interview Prompts (without probes)
- When you hear the word “assessment” what are the first words or phrases that come to mind?
- Could you please describe your experience being assessed in science classrooms? K-12, undergraduate, or graduate school.
- Could you please describe any experience you have had learning about educational assessment.
- How do you think students effectively learn science?
- What does it mean to equitably teach science?
- How would you describe to a fellow science teacher what it means to assess student learning?
- Hypothetically, you are asked to construct an assessment of student learning. What are some things you would consider when constructing it? Why?
- What would you do with the assessment information you gathered about the students? Why?
- I’m going to show you the prompt and your response to one of the open-ended survey items you answered last week. [show prompt and response] Can you take me through the response again and explain your reasoning for the aspects you thought were effective and ineffective?
- Finally, what does it mean to you to equitably assess student learning?
- Can you describe your experience so far throughout the teacher education program courses learning about assessment
- How have your cooperating teachers assessed student learning?
- Have your cooperating teachers explicitly discussed opinions or strategies about assessing student learning?
- Can you describe your experiences assessing student learning in your teaching placement?
- Can you please take me through the structure of the assessment, what it assessed, and why you chose it.
- Do you think that all of your students had a fair chance to show what they knew or could do on the assessment? Why or why not?
- How did you know whether your students learned the learning objectives being assessed?
- Do you think the assessment contributed to student learning about [the learning objective]?
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Lyon, E.G. “Assessment as Discourse”: A Pre-Service Physics Teacher’s Evolving Capacity to Support an Equitable Pedagogy. Educ. Sci. 2013, 3, 279-299. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci3030279
Lyon EG. “Assessment as Discourse”: A Pre-Service Physics Teacher’s Evolving Capacity to Support an Equitable Pedagogy. Education Sciences. 2013; 3(3):279-299. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci3030279
Chicago/Turabian StyleLyon, Edward G. 2013. "“Assessment as Discourse”: A Pre-Service Physics Teacher’s Evolving Capacity to Support an Equitable Pedagogy" Education Sciences 3, no. 3: 279-299. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci3030279