The document summarizes the ASSIST-ME project which aims to provide guidelines for ensuring assessment enhances learning in science, technology, and mathematics education. The project is researching challenges to implementing formative assessment and developing new assessment methods to measure inquiry-based competencies. It involves researchers collaborating with teachers and stakeholders in multiple countries. The project will implement and test various assessment methods over three implementation rounds to gather data on their effectiveness.

1. Department of Science Education
ASSIST-ME
Assess Inquiry in Science, Technology and
Mathematics Education.
http://assistme.ku.dk/
Jens Dolin
Professor, Head of Department of Science Education
ASSIST-ME coordinator
2nd Scientix Conference
26 October 2014

2. What’s the problem?
1. Increasing demand for inquiry and generic competences.
2. The predominant assessment and evaluation forms are not able to
capture these new goals.
3. The assessment forms have a deciding influence on teaching.
4. We need to develop and implement new assessment methods able
to measure advanced STM competences.
5. We need knowledge of what hinders and promotes uptake of
competence oriented assessment methods
6. We need political awareness of these problems and policy
involvement in solutions.
Department of Science Education
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 2 26 October 2014

3. Department of Science Education
The overall aim of ASSIST-ME is to provide a research base on
effective uptake of formative and summative assessment for inquiry-based,
competence oriented Science, Technology and Mathematics
(STM) education in primary and secondary education in different
educational contexts in Europe and to use this research base to give
policy makers and other stakeholders guidelines for ensuring that
assessment enhances learning in STM education.
2nd Scientix Conference 26 October 2014
Phase 3
WP6 & WP7
Phase 2
WP 4 & WP5
Phase 1
WP2 & WP3
Synthesize existing
research on
assessment,
defining goal
variables for STM
teaching, and
identifying and
categorizing
Europe’s
educational cultures
Design
assessment
methods
using
formative
and
summative
approaches
Implement the
assessment
methods in
different
educational
cultures.
Sum up the
results in a
synthesis.
Validate and
share results
with different
stakeholders
and expert
groups to
produce an
assessment
transformation
package
Develop
guidelines
and
communicat
e with policy
makers and
stakeholders
Dias 3

4. Department of Science Education
Participant
No.
Participant organisation name Acronym Country
1 University of Copenhagen, Department of Science
Education (Coordinator)
UCPH Denmark
2 University of Kiel, Leibniz Institute for Science and
Mathematics Education
IPN Germany
3 University of Cyprus, Department of Educational
Sciences, Learning in Science Group
UCY Cyprus
4 Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Pädagogische
Hochschule, Centre for Science and Technology
Education
FHNW Switzerland
5 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Lyon,
ICAR, ENS Lyon
CNRS France
6 King's College London, Department of Education &
Professional Studies
KCL UK
7 University of Jyväskylä, Department of Teacher
Education
JYU Finland
8 University Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1, Teacher
Education Institute, Educational Science Laboratory
UJF France
9 University of South Bohemia JU Czech
Republic
10 Pearson Education International PEI UK
Collaborative research project Jan 2013 – Dec 2016
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 4 26 October 2014

5. Department of Science Education
Stakeholder Panels and Local Working Groups
The overall goal is to change (the conditions for) practice. In order to
make this possible, research and implementation take place in close
collaboration between researchers, teachers and policy makers.
Teaching
Useful, joint Mutual respect
research
Change
Research Policy
Meaningful
communication
2nd Scientix Conference 26 October 2014
The collaboration is managed
through
National Stakeholder Panels
with representatives from
industry, ministry, heads’
association, teachers’
association, media, Parliament,
foundations etc.
and through
Local Working Groups (3 in
each country) app. 20 teachers
teamed up with 2 researchers
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6. Finding key stake holders
Department of Science Education
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 6 26 October 2014

7. The Danish stakeholder network
Department of Science Education
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 7 26 October 2014

8. The research questions
Department of Science Education
1. What are the main challenges related to the uptake of formative
assessment in the daily practices in science, technology and
mathematics in primary and secondary schools in different European
educational systems?
2. What changes are needed in summative assessment practices?
3. How can formative and summative assessment methods including
use of ICT be used together to promote learning in inquiry-based
STM teaching?
4. How can research-based strategies for the use of
formative/summative assessment be adapted to various European
educational traditions to ensure their use and avoid hindrances?
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 8 26 October 2014

9. Department of Science Education
Steps in establishing a competence assessment
1. Define the competence
Use expressions known by teachers
2. Describe a progression in the competence
If possible following a generic taxonomi like the Bloom or SOLO
taxonomi using subject specific words
3. Operationalize the steps in the progression
Define criteria for each step so it is clear when you fulfill the
criteria and when you don’t
4. Design assessment methods able to measure each step
Different steps might need different methods.
5. Implement the assessment method in different classrooms
Test for validity and reliability
6. Adjust the criteria
2nd Scientix Conference Dias 9 26 October 2014

10. Department of Science Education
Four assessment methods and six competences
Dias 10
In ASSIST-ME we have chosen four assessment methods:
•Questioning and other interactions on the fly
•Marking (Grading and Feedback)
•Student Peer and Self-Assessment
•Structured Classroom Dialogue
and six competences:
•Empirical investigations in science
•Problem solving in mathematics
•Design in technology
•Argumentation
•Modeling
•Innovation
We see the last three competences as generic, in the sense that they
can be acquired in all three subjects.
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11. The Structured Classroom Dialogue
Institut for Naturfagenes Didaktik
Dias 11
A structured dialogue around a subject specific issue
5 min. dialogue between
teacher and one student
followed by
5 min. peer and whole
class dialogue
Fra: Torben Spanget 2004
2nd Scientix Conference 26 October 2014

12. Investigation – Written feedback
Scope: 1.2. What systemic support measures and what tools do teachers need in order to
integrate formative assessment of student learning in their classroom practice?
Research Theme 4: What support do teachers need in order to interpret formative
assessment data and provide productive feedback for IBSTME (e.g. what types of rubrics)?
RQ: To what extent can a specially designed tool help teachers (a) process student students’
planning and applying investigations so as to identify possible difficulties they encounter and
(b) produce individualized feedback that acknowledges what students have accomplished
and suggests productive next steps for learning?
plan
Enactment Evaluation of the
Written
Coding of the
potential of the tool to
feedback
feedback: to what
support the teacher (and
(supported
extent did the
of the learning process)
by a specially
teacher provide valid
teaching
Identification of
designed
and productive
refinement
tool)
feedback
Implications for CPD…
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October 2014 Department of Science Education 12

13. Research levels in ASSIST-ME
(Assessment method: Written feedback)
Student Teacher LWG Project
activity
wa
a
a
a
wa
a
wa
a
(written) feedback
(written) feedback
(written) feedback
1
1
1
2
3
2 3
23
Research data on a national level Research data on EU level
Teacher formative feedback template LWG Teacher formative feedback
template
2nd Scientix Conference 26 October 2014
Department of Science Education
Dias 13

14. The next 1½ year
Department of Science Education
Dias 14
We will have three rounds of implementation of assessment methods,
each lasting four months.
Participating teachers and a control group will fill in a questionnaire in
the beginning, midway and at the end of the implementation process.
At the end of each implementation round data will be processed and
analyzed and discussed with teachers and national stakeholders.
2nd Scientix Conference 26 October 2014