Projects

BioKids: Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species
Nancy Butler Songer, Ph.D.

Nancy Butler Songer, Ph.D., Professor of Science Education and Learning Technologies in the School of Education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor leads a research program directed toward middle school children who are striving to learn science.

This research is supported by two major awards from the National Science Foundation, Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication. In conjunction with assessment experts, Professor Songer and her team have produced an assessment system designed to evaluate the development of students' declarative knowledge and higher-order thinking over multiple curricular units and years. The tests complement state and national standardized tests. The team measures students' development of both declarative knowledge and higher-order thinking, such as the development of scientific explanations based on relevant evidence. The results suggest that understanding science and math involves:

• Increased time on topics
• Systematic guidance in developing more complex ideas
• An ability to revisit and deepen understandings in a systematic manner

Web Site: http://www.biokids.umich.edu