A Study on the Development of Systematic Science Performance Tests for the Practical Use

1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 09558008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 展開研究
• Research Field: Science education
• Research Institution: National Institute for Educational Research (NIER)
• Principal Investigator: MIYAKE Masao NIER, Educational Information Resources, Director, 教育情報・資料センター, センター長 (50000071)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HATOGAI Taro NIER, Science Education Research Center, Chief, 科学教育研究センター, 室長 (10280512) ; SARUTA Yuji NIER, Science Education Research Center, Chief, 科学教育研究センター, 室長 (70178820) ; OGURA Yasushi NIER, Science Education Research Center, Senior Researcher, 科学教育研究センター, 主任研究官 (50224192) ; GOTO Masakazu NIER, Science Education Research Center, Senior Researcher, 科学教育研究センター, 主任研究官 (40311138) ; SHIMONO Hiroshi NIER, Science Education Research Center, Director, 科学教育研究センター, センター長 (30142631)
• Project Period (FY): 1997 – 1999
• Keywords: Science Practical Test / Performance Assessment / Science Education / IEA / TIMSS

Research Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop a systematic set of the scientific performance tests for use in evaluating progress in scientific learning. We have modified previous questions on the basis of trial results and developed new questions, and grouped these according to school year level to enable objective measurement of observation and experimentation skills at all levels. We surveyed using some performance items for 160 students of the lower secondary school and analyzed it.
We have compiled a database of scientific performance test items by classifying previous items and developing new questions. Previously, we had developed and trailed 34 problems ; more recently, we have developed and evaluated another items, making a total of 40 experiment test questions. Some of these are common across all elementary, lower secondary and upper secondary school levels, while others are specific to certain year levels. Most of the questions consist of several smaller questions. There are 173 smaller questions in total, of which 53 correspond to elementary school level, 94 to lower secondary school and 40 to upper secondary school.