Enhancing Learning through Assessment

How can primary school pupils be taught to reason scientifically in the classroom? Effective strategies for thinking with and about science knowledge promote deep engagement, interest and motivation. Acquiring personal relevance is one hallmark of a well-adjusted and enthusiastic science pupil. However, there are constraints in current instruction and assessment practices due to a limited understanding of the kinds of performances that exemplify scientific reasoning (Osborne, 2013).  Well-developed substantive theories underlying psychological constructs are necessary to target the teaching and measurement of desired behaviours.
This presentation reports the methodology and results of a study that examined the validity of a novel construct of scientific reasoning measured using a paper and pencil test – the Primary Scientific Reasoning Test (PSRT). The theoretical framework is derived from emerging philosophical and psychological literatures. It posits scientific reasoning as an evaluation of evidence and coordination with theories involving three types of scientific knowledge bases while engaged in three science practices that will answer questions about the ontological, causality, and epistemical aspects of science (Kind, 2013).
In the study, 430 12-year-old school children from Singapore participated. Their performance on the 100-items PSRT was analysed with Rasch modelling, a technique for examining the extent of item fit to the hypothesised scientific reasoning construct (Andrich, 1988). Other measures investigated include internal consistency, item quality, threshold ordering and item differential functioning. Findings revealed satisfactory psychometric properties on the examined measures. Analysis of the differential functioning of items showed a strong school bias. Overall, the Rasch results contributed validity evidence to the underlying scientific reasoning construct measured in the PSRT. The presentation concludes with insights about the nature of pupils’ reasoning difficulties and misconceptions, the quality of instruction and the curricular content gaps. Greater understanding of scientific reasoning and the environment that nurture this higher-order ability will help mould committed pupils who enjoy learning and are unafraid of complex and challenging goals. 

This presentation will focus on a cognitive stimulation model designed for the specific educational needs of low-performing pupils from the Roma ethnic group in Slovakia.  The presentation will highlight a recent study that was designed to evaluate the extent to which a domain-specific cognitive stimulation program can improve the quality of executive function processes in underperforming pupils?  The sample consisted of 120 pupils, 40 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group 1, and 40 in the control group 2. Subjects were sampled from the population of primary school underperforming pupils attending public schools whose socio-economic background was marked by signs of poverty and whose native language was not Slovak.
The intervention program consisted of a cognitive stimulation model of domain-specific nature. The Program (EXEEFUN-MATH) included metacognitive stimulation within curriculum of Math. The EXEFUN-MATH program was built on a peer mediation principles. The major goal of the study were: (1) To develop evidence-based information about how executive function processes in low performing children can be improved through a domain specific intervention program.
This study was structured as a pre-post-test experimental vs. control-group design.  Test measures were taken before and after the intervention in order to detect changes in children’s cognitive and executive function processes. Quantitative data included measures of children’s pre- and post-test performance in attention control, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, and mathematical skills.