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With
the merger of cultural knowledge and science, and with the shift in science
education from science as only content to science as a complex combination
of attitudes, inquiry skills, and conceptual understanding come necessary
shifts in assessment. In other words, if we truly value student growth
and understanding of cultural knowledge, then we must find ways to assess
such knowledge and we must resist the temptation to merely treat cultural
knowledge as a vehicle for science learning. If we truly value student
abilities to: reason scientifically; apply science learning in real life
situations; and understand the contexts and constraints under which science
functions, then we must assess in all those areas as well. And finally,
if we recognize that learning includes the process of exploration and
the student’s autonomous construction of meaning, then we must allow
for diverse pathways to and demonstrations of understanding.
This is a tall order. We are making progress with authentic assessment
of all aspects of science, but have less experience with the issues of
assessing cultural behavior, knowledge and values—things that are
all critically important to Native communities. The following chart offers
a look at some promising practices with regard to culturally relevant
assessment, as does the sample assessment from the Alaska Science Performance
Standards. This look however, is admittedly tentative, both because our
knowledge of traditional assessment practices is naive and inadequate,
and because our experience with authentic, standards-based assessment
in classrooms is evolving but not secure. With these significant limitations
in mind, we offer the following information and we also encourage you
to consult both local experts and suggested readings for more insight.
Promising
Assessment Strategies
Alaska
Science Standards: Assessment Ideas
In an effort to aid teachers in their transition to standards-based, authentic
assessment, the Translating Standards to Practice: A Teacher’s Guide
to the Use and Assessment of the Alaska Science Standards (http://ankn.uaf.edu/translating)
document includes both sample assessment ideas and expanded sample assessment
ideas. The following examples illustrate the nature of these ideas and
are included to prompt further thinking about culturally-responsive curriculum
assessment.
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