| Science: Thinking with evidence | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Area | Science |
| Year level | 7-10 |
| NZ origin? | Yes |
| Standardised? | Yes – in 2010 |
| Administration to individual or group? | Group |
| What does it assess? | The tests assess just one aspect of learning in science. STwE focuses on “thinking with evidence”. This activity brings together the key competency “thinking” and the “nature of science” strand of the science learning area. STwE is not designed to test all possible learning outcomes in science, so the results of the test should not be reported as if it did. |
| Purpose | The purpose of the tests is primarily formative. Because there is a common scale across all four tests, you can measure progress over time, but STwE is primarily designed to identify areas of existing strength and areas where students might need scaffolded support to develop their thinking competencies. |
| Validity | Evidence of validity |
| Reliability | Evidence of reliability |
| What measures does it give? | Achievement on each test can be reported on a common measurement scale. This scale means that each student’s improvement over time can be monitored if careful records are kept, using different STwE tests at a suitable time interval. They are broadly linked to chronological age, which in turn is broadly linked to curriculum levels. But it would be misleading to say that STwE results are indicative of overall science progress at the various curriculum levels. |
| How long does it take to administer? | No information is available. |
| How much training is needed? | Minimal training |
| Scoring and data analysis | Scoring is simple with multi-choice questions. The manual describes how you can look for patterns in each student’s responses and in overall class responses. In depth analysis does take time so you might prefer to take a group of students who are worrying or interesting rather than doing this for your whole class. |
| Does it provide 'what next' strategies? | Yes , the Teachers’ Manual includes a section that gives suggestions for next learning activities. |
| Is it available in te reo Maori? | No |
| Cost? | Sample costs September 2017, including GST Teacher's Manual $29.00 Answer sheet (pack of 10) $2.35 Starter kits from $50.00 |
| Author, date of publication and publisher | NZCER Science team, 2010 |
| Availability | Available on the NZCER website. Registration is required. |
| Further Information | Science: Thinking with evidence is a series of 4 multiple-choice standardised tests designed for students in years 7–10. They are designed to assess how well students use evidence to think about scientific contexts and issues. The tests identify some specific aspects of thinking in science rather than attempting to measure overall achievement in science. What are the features of Science: Thinking with evidence?
Recommended year levels for each test |