The assessment of practical work in school science

Ian Abrahams; Michael J. Reiss; Rachael M. Sharpe

doi:10.1080/03057267.2013.858496

The assessment of practical work in school science

Ian Abrahams, Michael J. Reiss, Rachael M. Sharpe

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This article reviews how practical work, including practical skills, is currently summatively assessed in school science in a number of countries and makes comparisons with how other subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, summatively assess skills. Whilst practical skills in school science are clearly valued as being of importance, there is a lack of clarity as to what these skills actually are and how they might, most effectively, be validly assessed. Countries vary greatly in the extent to which they employ what we term ‘Direct Assessment of Practical Skills’ (DAPS) or ‘Indirect Assessment of Practical Skills’ (IAPS). Each of these approaches has advantages and disadvantages but we conclude that too great reliance on IAPS reduces the likelihood that practical work will be taught and learnt as well as it might be.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	209-251
Journal	STUDIES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
Volume	49
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2013.858496
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2013

Keywords

practical skills
practical work
science
assessment

Access to Document

10.1080/03057267.2013.858496

Cite this

@article{dc40a64514e848118ca4a8e4660180e6,

title = "The assessment of practical work in school science",

abstract = "This article reviews how practical work, including practical skills, is currently summatively assessed in school science in a number of countries and makes comparisons with how other subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, summatively assess skills. Whilst practical skills in school science are clearly valued as being of importance, there is a lack of clarity as to what these skills actually are and how they might, most effectively, be validly assessed. Countries vary greatly in the extent to which they employ what we term {\textquoteleft}Direct Assessment of Practical Skills{\textquoteright} (DAPS) or {\textquoteleft}Indirect Assessment of Practical Skills{\textquoteright} (IAPS). Each of these approaches has advantages and disadvantages but we conclude that too great reliance on IAPS reduces the likelihood that practical work will be taught and learnt as well as it might be. ",

keywords = "practical skills, practical work, science, assessment",

author = "Ian Abrahams and Reiss, {Michael J.} and Sharpe, {Rachael M.}",

year = "2013",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1080/03057267.2013.858496",

language = "English",

volume = "49",

pages = "209--251",

journal = "STUDIES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION",

issn = "0305-7267",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The assessment of practical work in school science

AU - Abrahams, Ian

AU - Reiss, Michael J.

AU - Sharpe, Rachael M.

PY - 2013/9/1

Y1 - 2013/9/1

N2 - This article reviews how practical work, including practical skills, is currently summatively assessed in school science in a number of countries and makes comparisons with how other subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, summatively assess skills. Whilst practical skills in school science are clearly valued as being of importance, there is a lack of clarity as to what these skills actually are and how they might, most effectively, be validly assessed. Countries vary greatly in the extent to which they employ what we term ‘Direct Assessment of Practical Skills’ (DAPS) or ‘Indirect Assessment of Practical Skills’ (IAPS). Each of these approaches has advantages and disadvantages but we conclude that too great reliance on IAPS reduces the likelihood that practical work will be taught and learnt as well as it might be.

AB - This article reviews how practical work, including practical skills, is currently summatively assessed in school science in a number of countries and makes comparisons with how other subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, summatively assess skills. Whilst practical skills in school science are clearly valued as being of importance, there is a lack of clarity as to what these skills actually are and how they might, most effectively, be validly assessed. Countries vary greatly in the extent to which they employ what we term ‘Direct Assessment of Practical Skills’ (DAPS) or ‘Indirect Assessment of Practical Skills’ (IAPS). Each of these approaches has advantages and disadvantages but we conclude that too great reliance on IAPS reduces the likelihood that practical work will be taught and learnt as well as it might be.

KW - practical skills

KW - practical work

KW - science

KW - assessment

U2 - 10.1080/03057267.2013.858496

DO - 10.1080/03057267.2013.858496

M3 - Article

SN - 0305-7267

VL - 49

SP - 209

EP - 251

JO - STUDIES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

JF - STUDIES IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

IS - 2

ER -