Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST)

Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST) measures teacher knowledge in a specific content area. Assessments exist in the following content areas: Flow of Matter and Energy in Living Systems; Force and Motion; and Plate Tectonics. All questions are set in instructional contexts, with some items requiring teachers to analyze student thinking or to choose among instructional responses to student thinking. The measure has been used as a pre- and post-test to assess the effects of professional development programs. There are also corresponding student written assessments.

Content

Category
Sub-Category
Domains
Teacher Knowledge
Grades
Kindergarten,
1st Grade,
2nd Grade,
3rd Grade,
4th Grade,
5th Grade,
6th Grade,
7th Grade,
8th Grade
Languages
English
Respondent
Teacher

Administration Information

Length
30 multiple-choice items for each test form

Access and Use

Open Access
No
Use in Research

Heller, J. I. (2012). Effects of Making Sense of SCIENCE™ professional development on the achievement of middle school students, including English language learners. (NCEE 2012-4002). National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?ProjectID=87

Psychometrics

Scoring
Computer scoring,
Manual scoring
Psychometric References

Ronfeldt, M., & Truwit, M. (2023). Considerations for use of teaching quality measures. EdInstruments Brief, Annenberg Institute for School Reform, Brown University. www.edinstruments.com/teaching.

Psychometric Considerations

Psychometrics is the science of psychological assessment. A primary goal of EdInstruments is to provide information on crucial psychometric topics including Validity and Reliability – essential concepts of evaluation, which indicate how well an instrument measures a construct - as well as additional properties that are worthy of consideration when selecting an instrument of measurement.

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