Assessment_Guide_For_Educators_Science (Page 5)

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Assessment_Guide_For_Educators_Science (Page 5)

5 Assessment Guide for Educators: Science Chapter 1: Assessment Targets The Science test focuses on three major content domains: (1) life science, (2) physical science, and (3) Earth and space science. The science content topics are drawn from these three domains. They provide context for measuring a test-taker’s abilities to apply the reasoning skills described in the practices. The content topics focus on science that reflects both what is taught in many high school-level science courses and what is most relevant and useful to an adult population. To measure this content at a range of levels of complexity, the following item types are used in the test: multiple choice, short answer, drag-and-drop, hot spot, and fill-in- the-blank. The following specifications guide the GED® Science test:

1. Approximately 40 percent of the test focuses on life science, 40 percent on physical science, and 20 percent on Earth and space science
2. The test includes items that test textual analysis and understanding, data representation and inference skills, as well as problem solving with science content
3. Each item on the Science test aligns with both one Science Practice and one Content Topic
4. Each item also reflects one Depth of Knowledge level of cognitive complexity, based on the appropriate alignment to a science practice
5. Approximately 60 percent of the items reflect a Depth of Knowledge level of 2 or 3
6. The contexts within which problem solving skills are measured are taken from both academic and workforce contexts
7. Approximately 50 percent of the items are in scenarios, in which two to three items are based on a single stimulus (textual, graphic, or a combination of both), and 50 percent are standalone items The Science Assessment Targets are divided into two sections: the practices and the content topics. The science practices describe skills necessary for reasoning in a scientific context, while the content topics describe a body of knowledge typical of what is taught in American high schools. Each item on the GED® Science test aligns with one Science Practice and one Content Topic. Each science practice in the Science Assessment Targets correspond with standards from Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects, and mathematics and/ or practices from A Framework for K-12 Science Education. For example, R.1 corresponds with CCSS Reading Anchor Standard 1m and 8.SP refers to skills introduced in the CCSS Grade 8 Statistics and Probability mathematics domain. Practices 1-8, however, are drawn from the scientific practices in A Framework for K-12 Science Education.