Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: Formative Assessment Probes

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Uncovering Student Ideas in Science Formative
Assessment Probes

• Robert Sparks
• NOAO
• October 13th, 2007

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What is Formative Assessment?

• Used to find out what students know and think
  throughout an instructional sequence
• Used to adjust and monitor learning
• Tracks whether conceptual change is occurring
• See if students retain previous knowledge

TEST
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Types of Formative Assessment

• Individual, small group or class questions
• Student interviews
• Observations
• Informal Conversations
• Journaling
• Performance Tasks
• Tests and quizzes (maybe!)

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What Makes it Formative Assessment?

• Formative Assessment is used to
• Modify the curriculum
• Alter teaching
• Provide feedback to students

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Lets Try A Couple

• Is It Melting?
• Check the boxes on the items you would define as
  melting
• Write a rule or reasoning that you used to guide
  your decisions

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The Wet Jeans

• Sam washed his favorite pair of jeans. He hung
  up the wet jeans on a clothesline. An hour later
  the jeans were dry. What happened to the water?