Assessing Teaching and Assessment Competences of Biology Teacher Trainees: Lessons from Item Development

Abstract

In Germany, science education standards for students at the end of grade nine have been in existance since 2005. Some of these standards are dedicated to scientific inquiry (e.g. experimentation). They describe which abilities learners are expected to possess at the end of grade nine. In the USA, several documents describe standards for Teaching Inquiry (NGSS 2013, NRC 1996/2000/2007, AAAS 1989). Presently, comparable teaching standards for science teachers are mostly lacking in Germany. Further, there are hardly any instruments that allow for the assessment of specific competences pertaining to teaching experimental lessons and assessing student competences in experimentation. Therefore, the aim of the project described in this paper is to develop assessment instruments for biology teachers who are being trained at universities as well as in in-service teacher training programs with respect to i) analyzing experimental biology lessons, ii) planning experimental biology lessons, and iii) assessing student achievements in experimental biology lessons. The article gives insights into ongoing research with respect to assessing the quality of biology teacher education. Finally, the developed measurement instruments should allow for assessing the learning preconditions of future biology teachers. The instruments offer first starting points for the development of sensitive measures for longitudinal studies to investigate university teacher education and teacher traineeship in the subject of biology.