Student Assessment Best Practices

Did Oxbow’s monthly Environmental Education program move the needle? Our innovative assessment methodology asks students to “draw a picture of nature” and participate in interviews at two touch points, baseline and end-line of the monthly program.

What we know: Assessing environmental literacy and science understanding of early learners is challenging,  yet early learners is a critical window for students to form a fundamental connection to nature (Wilson, 1996), and science skills (Morgan, 2016). In fact, fostering an affinity in science in a child’s early years can influence their achievement through middle school. 

What we don’t know: What is the best method for assessing environmental literacy for early learners?

Here’s what we did! 

The foundations of our assessment strategy:

• This approach is entirely unique, inspired by formative, portfolio-based assessments
  • • • Formative means that students and teachers are interacting during the time of instruction (Black, 1998)
      • Portfolio-based means that the students’ work is followed over time
• Our methodology combines these approaches and involved students interacting with a facilitator at two touchpoints, at baseline and end-line of the 8-month environmental education program. 
• This approach is more effective than a summative or standardized test at the end of the program, especially for early learners. 
• Reciprocal relationship with students and educators, teachers can learn about the effectiveness of their instruction (Black, 1998)
• Open ended questions allows students to express their understanding
• Students define their own meaning of nature
• Portfolios are very good at highlighting success rather than failures, giving children a positive view of themselves and their progress over a period of time (Grace, 1993)
• Portfolios don’t  compare children to one another but instead compare a single child’s work to their previous work (Grace, 1993)

Here is one example of a side by side illustration and description from a kindergarten student:

Here’s another:

References: