Assessment

Changing Emphases on Science Content

Less Emphasis on	More Emphasis on	What we are doing
Knowing scientific facts and information	Understanding scientific concepts and developing abilities of inquiry
Studying subject matter disciplines (physical, life, earth science) for their own sake	Learning subject matter disciplines in the context of inquiry, technology, science in personal and social perspectives, and history and nature of science
Separating science knowlege and science process	Integrating all aspects of science content
Covering many science topics	Studying a few fundamental science concepts
Implementing inquiry as a set of processes	Implementing inquiry as instructional strategies, abilities, and ideas to be learned

Adapted from Bybee, Rodger W. and Harold A. Pratt, 1996: National Standards: Challenges for earth science education. Geoscience, September 1996.

Use of Student Portfolios as an Instrument for Learning