Assessment of Knowing and Doing Science

The essential function assessment serves is the measurement of students’ science knowledge and abilities at a moment in time. Data from the measurement answer the question: What do students know and what are they able to do? The simplicity of the question belies the challenges posed when interpreting data that answer the question.

What do students know? The breadth of scientific knowledge and differences in the depth to which it can be known contribute to the complexity of possible answers. The PISA 2009 Assessment Framework distinguishes two categories of science knowledge, knowing of science and knowing about science. Knowledge of science includes knowing the fundamental concepts, principles, laws, and theories of the physical, life, and Earth and space sciences. Knowledge about science includes knowing the modes of inquiry, philosophical perspectives, and history of the natural sciences. Because the development and practice of the natural sciences is closely aligned with technology...