KNOWLEDGE-BASED COGNITION AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM

Changes in knowledge underlie the cognitive capabilities that are disp layed in competent performance and the acquisition of improved perform ance. It is important to bring these knowledge-generated processes to attention because they represent possibilities for instructional desig n that might improve learning. In this article, the role of performanc e assessments in making relevant cognitive activity apparent to teache rs and students is discussed. Descriptions of the cognitive activity o f fifth-grade students carrying out a science performance assessment r eveal critical differences between those who think and reason well wit h their knowledge of circuits and those who do not. Differences in qua lity of explanations, adequacy of problem representation, appropriaten ess of solution strategies, and frequency and flexibility of self-moni toring indicate more or less effective learning of the subject matter. Awareness of and attention to these cognitive characteristics of comp etent performance in an assessment situation provides teachers the nec essary feedback to construct classroom environments that encourage rea soning and knowledge integration. In this way, performance assessments not only evaluate student performance but suggest changes in instruct ional practice to support effective learning in the elementary science classroom.