Cognitive Theory as the Basis for Design of Innovative Assessment: Design Characteristics of Science Assessments

Part of a long-range goal to investigate the validity of reasoning and problem-solving assessment tasks in science, this report describes progress in analyzing several science performance assessment projects. The authors discuss developments from Connecticut’s Common Core of Learning Assessment Project, the California Assessment Program, and the University of California, Santa Barbara/California Institute of Technology research project “Alternative Technologies for Assessing Science Understanding.” The analysis framework articulates general aspects of problem-solving performance, including structured, integrated knowledge; effective problem representation; proceduralized knowledge; automaticity; and self-regulatory skills.