Validity evidence for a learning progression of scientific explanation

• Published in: Journal of research in science teaching Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 299 - 317
• Main Authors: Yao, Jian‐Xin, Guo, Yu‐Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston Wiley-Blackwell 01.02.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Education policy; Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 10; Grade 11; Grade 12; Grade 8; Grade 9; Item Response Theory; Learning; learning progression; Rasch model; Science Education; Scientific Concepts; scientific explanation; scientific practice; Validity
• ISSN: 0022-4308; 1098-2736
• DOI: 10.1002/tea.21420

Providing scientific explanations for natural phenomena is a fundamental aim of science; therefore, scientific explanation has been selected as one of the key practices in science education policy documents around the world. To further elaborate on existing educational frameworks of scientific explanation in K–12, we propose a learning progression of scientific explanation based on the Phenomenon‐Theory‐Data‐Reasoning (PTDR) framework. To examine the validation of the PTDR framework for scientific explanation and the learning progression based on it, we developed the Scientific Explanation Progression Assessment to investigate students’ performance (Grades 8–12 students, N = 4,554) on scientific explanations. A Rasch analysis and other statistical tests together indicated the validity of the PTDR framework for scientific explanation and the learning progression derived from this framework. We end with a discussion of the implications for future design of instruction and assessment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 55: 299–317, 2018