Adapting science performance tasks developed in different countries for use in Irish primary schools

Abstract

This paper describes a four-year project undertaken to develop a set of performance tasks that could be used for assessing hands-on science in Irish primary schools. The project has evolved over five phases. In phase one, science assessments used in a variety of educational systems in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US were located and catalogued. In phase two, approximately 170 performance tasks were selected and adapted by the project team to suit the requirements of the Irish primary science curriculum. In phase three, a purposive convenience sample of 183 teachers evaluated the extent to which the tasks (a subset of sixty-seven) were suitable for use at different grade levels. The teachers' feedback was used to amend tasks. In phase four, the researchers observed eleven different tasks being implemented in classrooms. The eleven teachers involved were interviewed about their experiences immediately afterwards. Again, based on the outcomes of this study, changes were made to the tasks. The fifth phase of the project, due to be completed in 2005, will involve dissemination of 124 of the tasks to teachers via the Web and book/CD-ROM. Planning with respect to other elements of the project such as professional development courses and exemplars of performance has yet to be finalised.