Using model - tracing to conduct performance assessment of students ’ inquiry skills within

Title Page Not included in page count. Title: Using model-tracing to conduct performance assessment of students' inquiry skills within a microworld. Background / Context: Description of prior research and its intellectual context. The National frameworks for science emphasize inquiry skills (NRC, 1996), however, in typical classroom practice, science learning often focuses on rote learning in part because science process skills are difficult to assess (Fadel, Honey, & Pasnick, 2007) and rote knowledge is prioritized on high-stakes tests. Short answer assessments of inquiry have been used however, these are seldom used in schools because of difficulty with reliable administration and the resulting high cost. The Science Assistments project (www.scienceassistments.org) has developed a rigorous, technology-based learning environment that assists and assesses (hence, " assistments) middle school students in Earth, Life, and Physical Science so that teachers can assess their students' skills rigorously, frequently, and during instruction-in the context in which they are developing (Mislevy et al, 2002). Our program of work represents a significant advance over other programs that utilize pencil and paper assessments because ours makes use of a state-of-the art logging infrastructure to do web-based tutoring (Razzaq et al, 2005).