Contextualization in the Assessment of Students’ Learning About Science

Abstract

In the assessment of students’ learning about science, contextualization has become increasingly important. In times when students were learning about science mainly for academic reasons, assessments were focused on students’ knowledge of science ideas. Now students are learning about science to be prepared for the challenges of a life increasingly permeated by science and technology (National Research Council 2012; for an overview see Waddington et al. 2007). In order to be able to meet these challenges, a mere knowledge of science ideas is not enough. Instead, individuals need to develop a knowledge that is organized around the core ideas of science; that allows for a quick retrieval of the knowledge relevant to a particular challenge, enabling individuals to effectively apply their knowledge to challenges in their everyday lives (Bransford et al. 2000); and that prepares them for challenges they may encounter in their future lives (Bransford and Schwartz 1999). Such knowledge is also referred to as knowledge-in-use (Krajcik et al. 2008) or integrated knowledge (Fortus and Krajcik 2012). Assessments of students’ learning about science need to reflect this shift in the aims of science education. Instead of simply assessing students’ knowledge of science ideas, assessments need to assess students’ integrated knowledge, that is, students’ ability to use their knowledge in the context of the actual challenges that students may face in their everyday as well as their future lives.