Assessing the new KS3 science PoS

1. Assessing the new KS3 science PoS ;l;l;l Catharine Par’;’;kes- NFER

2. Interpretation of ideas behind the new PoS • Less constrained by content to specific levels and KSs • More everyday science, using real life situations • Science as a human activity across all walks of life • How science impacts on everyday life • Collaboration across different disciplines • As a method of learning • Looking at the sufficiency of evidence in contemporary and historical contexts

3. Being able to evaluate methods and data sets • Peer review • Importance of communicating results to others • Science as a creative discipline • Science in the media • Training people that use science principles • Ethical dimensions of science • Cultural dimensions in science

4. How can you assess this type of curriculum? • Use a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts. • Look at what the PoS implies. • Real – life contexts that challenge their real- life experiences, from both inside and outside the classroom

5. What is assessment? • Finding out information about another person • On where they are after learning has occurred (summative ) • At any point in the learning cycle to give you information as to where to pitch the next sequence of learning (formative)

6. The assessment continuum Informal Formal

7. Magnetism at KS3 • Which part(s) of the new PoS could be assessed using magnets as a context?

8. The Earth as a magnet Geographic North pole Magnetic North pole over time http://kenai.fws.gov/overview/notebook/2004/sept/3sep2004.htm

9. Task • Using the context your group has been given, have a go at writing some questions based around it. • Assess aspects of the new PoS. • Vary the item types - open response, multi-choice, matching, sequencing steps, graphs, filling tables, keys.

10. Contact details Catharine Parkes NFER The Mere, Upton Park Slough, SL1 2DQ Email: c.parkes@nfer.ac.uk Telephone: 01753 637133 web: www.nfer.ac.uk