Best Ways to Assess STEM Learning

STEM projects offer incredible opportunities for students to engage with science, technology, engineering, and math in a hands-on, meaningful way. But assessing these projects can feel daunting. How do you measure creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration? The good news is that effective STEM assessment doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some easy ways to assess STEM projects, focusing on process as well as product:

Rubrics:

Rubrics are essential for consistent assessment. They outline specific criteria and performance levels, making expectations clear to both students and educators.  They provide a structured framework for assessment, and provide descriptors of different levels of achievement to help students self-assess a project before turning it in.

Observations:

Teacher observation can be a powerful tool to help assess student projects.  Like some teachers have reading observation logs, consider a STEM observation log to catch and remember specific problem-solving strategies that students use, the caliber of communication and collaboration skills they use and their general understanding of specific concepts. Keeping an observation log and/or using an observation checklist helps provide specific evidence for assessment.

Formative Assessments:

Formative assessment allows for real-time feedback, helping students improve as they progress.  This approach focuses on the learning process rather than just the final product and allows the teacher to check in frequently with students throughout the duration of a project to gauge student understanding through quick quizzes, exit tickets or other strategies.

Student Self-Reflection:

Self-reflection is a powerful tool for personal growth and development. It provides students the opportunity to think intentionally about their successes, mistakes and progress.  In addition to learning from their experiences, it helps them identify areas of improvement and set goals.  Self-reflection helps students take ownership of their learning and also provides valuable feedback.

Performance-Based Assessment

Having students, for example, present their projects to the class provides an opportunity for them to share their learning and receive feedback.   Presentations and other forms of performance-based assessments like portfolios or other open-ended tasks encourage students to explain their design process, challenges they faced, and what they learned.

By implementing these easy assessment strategies, educators can effectively evaluate STEM projects while promoting student growth and engagement

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