All of the items on the teacher assessments target understanding of science content in one of three different ways:
- Knowledge of science content (Level 1 items);
- Using content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking (Level 2 items); and
- Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions (Level 3 items).
Knowledge of science content
All of the ATLAST items for teachers assess knowledge of science content, but the most basic type of question attempts to isolate disciplinary content knowledge from a teachers’ ability to apply the knowledge in making instructional decisions. An example of these “Level 1” items is shown below (correct answer is C).
Although the item is set in an instructional context, it does not ask the teacher to apply knowledge of science content.
Using science content knowledge to analyze/diagnose student thinking
“Level 2” items require teachers to apply their content knowledge in analyzing or diagnosing a sample of student thinking. An illustrative item is shown below (correct answer is D).
A teacher must understand the science content in order to answer Level 2 items correctly. However, additional analysis of the question is required because more than one of the choices includes a correct science statement, unlike the Level 1 item above. In the Level 2 item shown here, the statements in choices A, B, C and D are correct in terms of the science, but only D also applies to what the students said. This feature is present in all Level 2 items and makes the cognitive load of these items higher than that of Level 1; teachers must evaluate the students’ thinking in relation to the physical scenario in order to choose the correct answer.
Using content knowledge to make instructional decisions
“Level 3” items ask teachers to apply their content knowledge in choosing among instructional moves. A sample Level 3 item is shown below (correct answer is C).
Level 3 items have the highest cognitive load; teachers must evaluate the physical scenario, the student’s thinking in relation to the physical scenario, and then evaluate each instructional choice. As with Level 2 items, more than one answer choice has a correct science statement, but only one has a correct science statement and is relevant to the instructional context. Although the cognitive load of Level 3 items is demanding, it is a small fraction of the demand placed on a teacher managing the learning of a classroom of students.