Making activities and environments have been shown to foster the development of computational thinking (CT) skills for students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subject areas. To properly cultivate CT skills and the related dispositions, educators must understand students' needs and build awareness of how CT informs a deeper…

This study compared two versions of professional development (PD) designed for teachers using formative assessment (FA) in mathematics classrooms that were networked with Texas Instruments Navigator (NAV) technology. Thirty-two middle school mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: FA-then-NAV group and FA-and-NAV…

In a recent article published in "EM:IP," Kingston and Nash report on the results of a meta-analysis on the efficacy of formative assessment. They conclude that the average effect of formative assessment on student achievement is about 0.20 SD units. This would seem to dispel the myth that effects between 0.40 and 0.70 can be attributed to…

This study examined the effect of learning progression-aligned formal embedded formative assessment on conceptual change and achievement in middle-school science. Fifty-two sixth graders were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Both groups were taught about sinking and floating by the same teacher with identical…

Assessment of and for learning has occupied center stage in education reform, especially with the advent of the No Child Left Behind Federal legislation. This study examined the formative function of assessment--assessment for learning--recognizing that such assessment needs to be aligned, at least in part, with the summative function of…

The idea that formative assessments embedded in a curriculum could help guide teachers toward better instructional practices that lead to greater student learning has taken center stage in science assessment research. In order to embed formative assessments in a curriculum, curriculum developers and assessment specialists should collaborate to…

Our project to embed formative student assessments in the Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching curriculum required a close collaboration between curriculum developers at the Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG) and assessment developers at the Stanford Educational Assessment Laboratory (SEAL). This was a new endeavor for each…

This paper examines the equivalence of two construct-a-concept-map techniques. construct-a-map with created linking phrases (C) and construct-a-map with selected linking phrases (S). The former places few constraints on the respondent and has been considered the gold standard; the latter is cost- and time-efficient. They are compared in terms…

We examine the equivalence of two construct-a-concept-map techniques: construct-a-map with created linking phrases (C), and construct-a-map with selected linking phrases (S). The former places few constraints on the respondent and has been considered the gold standard; the latter is cost and time efficient. Both their products and processes are…

Formative assessment was hypothesized to have a beneficial impact on students' science achievement and conceptual change, either directly or indirectly by enhancing motivation. We designed and embedded formatives assessments within an inquiry science unit. Twelve middle-school science teachers with their students were randomly assigned either to…

Given the current emphasis on conducting high-quality experimental studies, it is becoming increasingly important for researchers to accompany their studies with evaluations of the "fidelity of implementation" of the experimental treatments. This article compares the form and extent of an experimental treatment to student learning. The study…

In the first part of this paper we discuss the feasibility of using Generalizability (G) Theory to examine the dependability of concept map assessments and to design a concept map assessment for a particular practical application. In the second part, we apply G theory to compare the technical qualities of two frequently used mapping techniques:…