Using concept maps to assess student learning in the science classroom: Must different methods compete?

This yearlong study was implemented in seventh-grade life science classes with the students' regular teacher serving as teacher/researcher. In the study, a method of scoring concept maps was developed to assess knowledge and comprehension levels of science achievement. By linking scoring of concept maps to instructional objectives, scores were based upon the correctness of propositions. High correlations between the concept map scores and unit multiple choice tests provided strong evidence of the content validity of the map scores. Similarly, correlations between map scores and state criterion-referenced and national norm-referenced standardized tests were indicators of high concurrent validity. The approach to concept map scoring in the study represents a distinct departure from traditional methods that focus on characteristics such as hierarchy and branching. A large body of research has demonstrated the utility of such methods in the assessment of higher-level learning outcomes. The results of the study suggest that a concept map might be used in assessing declarative and procedural knowledge, both of which have a place in the science classroom. One important implication of these results is that science curriculum and its corresponding assessment need not be dichotomized into knowledge/comprehension versus higher-order outcomes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 1103–1127, 1998.     

Equity and Excellence in Research Funding

The tension between equity and excellence is fundamental in science policy. This tension might appear to be resolved through the use of merit-based evaluation as a criterion for research funding. This is not the case. Merit-based decision making alone is insufficient because of inequality aversion, a fundamental tendency of people to avoid extremely unequal distributions. The distribution of performance in science is extremely unequal, and no decision maker with the power to establish a distribution of public money would dare to match the level of inequality in research performance. We argue that decision makers who increase concentration of resources because they accept that research resources should be distributed according to merit probably implement less inequality than would be justified by differences in research performance. Here we show that the consequences are likely to be suppression of incentives for the very best scientists. The consequences for the performance of a national research system may be substantial. Decision makers are unaware of the issue, as they operate with distributional assumptions of normality that guide our everyday intuitions.     

Development of an instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers in guiding small groups

In many student-centred curricula, teacherswork in small groups with students. Guidingsmall groups is rather complex. Teachers needto aim to stimulate students in these groupstowards constructive, self-directed, contextualand collaborative learning. It is alsoimportant that teachers demonstrate adequateinterpersonal behaviour towards students. Inthis study, an instrument was developed toprovide teachers with feedback about theirperformance to improve their behaviour. The aimof this study is to report on the development,reliability and validity of an instrument toevaluate teachers' performance in guiding smallgroups.The items of the instrument were based on fivetheoretical dimensions: constructive,self-directed, contextual and collaborativelearning and the teacher's interpersonalbehaviour. Students were asked to fill out thisinstrument and evaluate the performance of theteacher guiding the small group at the end ofseveral courses. The instrument was tested in apilot-study. Confirmatory factor analysis andgeneralizability studies indicated that theinstrument is fairly valid and reliable whensix student responses are available perteacher. Teachers receive detailed feedbackabout their performance indicating strong andweak aspects. Further research is needed todetermine whether this feedback indeed leads toimprovement of teachers' behaviour.