Analysis of Cognitive Demand in Selected Alternative Science Assessments

Working with pilot science assessments in California and Connecticut, the researchers in Analysis of Cognitive Demand in Selected Alternative Science Assessments focused on cognitive activity measured by performance assessment tasks. Of special interest was the degree to which the tasks accurately measured differences in student performance. “We focused, “wrote Baxter, Glaser, and Raghavan, “on the extent to which: (a) tasks allowed students the opportunity to engage in higher order thinking skills and (b) scoring systems reflected differential performance of students with respect to the nature of cognitive activity in which they engaged.” Data came from three types of science assessment tasks-exploratory investigation, conceptual integration, and component identification-each varying with respect to grade level, prior knowledge, stage of development and purpose. Analyses of the data resulted in some important recommendations for assessment tasks and scoring. In general, wrote the authors, “tasks should: (a) be procedurally open-ended affording students an opportunity to display their understanding; (b) draw on subject matter knowledge as opposed to knowledge of generally similar facts; and (c) be cognitively rich enough to require thinking.” The authors concluded that scoring systems should: (a) link score criteria to task expectations; (b) be sensitive to the meaningful use of knowledge; and (c) capture the [learning] process the students engage in.