There is a tremendous need for assessment tasks that science teachers can use to chart student learning over time. Especially needed are (a) tasks and rubrics that can provide just-in-time information about students’ progress toward NGSS performance expectations and (b) resources to support teachers’ instructional decision-making based on assessment information.
Purpose
The Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA) Collaborative aims to equip teachers with technology-enhanced tasks that can guide students to use their knowledge as called for by today’s vision for science education. The group is a collaboration among experts in science and engineering education, K–12 assessment, technology-supported learning, and curricula and instruction from a range of institutions, including WestEd, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Michigan State University, and the Concord Consortium, among others.
Audiences Served
The Collaborative has created 200+ NGSS-focused assessment tasks for upper elementary and middle grades. The tasks are freely available to districts and schools through the NGSA online portal. Teachers can select tasks they want to use and assign them to be completed individually, in small groups, or during whole-class instruction.
Project Activities
Current projects include the Formative Assessment Bundling Literacy in Elementary Science (FABLES) project and the Potential of Automatically Scored Three-Dimensional Assessment (PASTA) project. In addition, the NGSA Collaborative is currently pursuing research and development opportunities in the following areas:
- Elementary Science and Engineering
- AI-Driven Scoring and Feedback
- Middle Grades Earth and Space Science
- Secondary Physical Science
- Innovative Curriculum + Assessment
Project Director
Christopher Harris
Funder
Various projects from the NGSA Collaborative have been supported through funding by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Project Duration
Ongoing
