Assessing Science Process Skills
Wilke, R. R. & Straits, W.J.2005. Practical Advice, The American Biology Teacher, 67, 534-540.
Summary: Inquiry learning can often be presented through exercises that serve as sources of science process skill development. Inquiry is used to teach science process skills, however, use of science process skills is how inquiry is conducted. Assessment of science process skills can be done through activities involving inquiry learning. Assessment can also be a cycle of feedback between students and the teacher. This feedback allows each to monitor and adjust a student's learning. Lessons about process skills can serve as a source of informal assessment with feedback that occurs during the lesson. After the students have learned process skills, formal assessment may consist of an inquiry-based activity. The students pose a question or a problem to solve and using their process skills to interpret and apply information, make and list observations, post explanations, make predictions, and design experiments to formulate a possible answer or conclusion to the situation.
Reaction: Discussion of hypothetical situations and how to approach them is a way to receive information informally as to the students' progress. However, something mentioned in the article and my summary, inquiry and learning science process skills go hand in hand. Providing inquiry-based activity is the most realistic assessment for process skills. True inquiry-learning involves the application of process skills. Authentic science situations incorporate student involvement and collaboration with the development and application of science process skills. These activities in which students practice their skills can be either formally or informally assessed. Formally, students could document the steps they performed into a writing assignment. Informally, observation of student processes and confidence during their participation allows the teacher to assess how the students' skills are developing. Short answers to a posed problem could serve as an introductory activity or thinking activity to start class. Students could be asked to provide any number of answers reflecting their understanding of how and when to apply certain process skills.