SRI International Awarded Department of Education Grant to Validate Web-based Classroom Assessment Tool

MENLO PARK, Calif., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- SRI International announced that it has been awarded a $1.8 million grant by the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education, to investigate and strengthen online assessments that can help teachers diagnose student understanding of a subject.  SRI will collaborate on the multiyear project with researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and FACET Innovations in Seattle.

The study will incorporate innovative psychometric methods (a measurement of a person's understanding) as part of an integrated framework that will address the cognitive, instructional, and empirical validity of science assessments. New data will be collected from students in middle and high school science classes in the state of Washington.

Diagnostic classroom assessments have the potential to provide critical information to students and teachers about whether students understand a targeted concept and what problematic or partial understanding may be present.

"Assessment, when used formatively, can provide teachers with mid-unit judgments about students' conceptual understanding," said Angela Haydel DeBarger, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at SRI International's Center for Technology in Learning. "Our goal is to contribute to better classroom assessment tools that will be helpful to both students and teachers."

The study will examine assumptions about cognition and student performance in three phases: analyses of existing assessment tools (presently on Diagnoser.com, developed by FACET Innovations), refinement and new assessment development, and collection of new data.  Research measurements will include students' responses on the diagnostic assessments, classroom observations, and interviews.

Following completion of the analysis, improved diagnostics for science assessments will be available online.  Researchers will also make available a framework for implementing an improved diagnostic assessment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) areas. The framework will be based on principles of evidence-centered assessment design, with advanced psychometric models and inference methods providing the backbone for diagnostic feedback to students and teachers.

This project, grant number R305A100475, is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. The total estimated value is $1,819,505.

About SRI International's Education Research

SRI International conducts education research in three main areas: education reform, education policy, and the application of technology to improve education. Our researchers study reforms that hold promise for improving the K-16 system of schooling and lifelong learning and evaluate the design, implementation and impact of educational programs, especially those targeted at disadvantaged students. We also undertake projects to examine the design, implementation and impact of policies, programs and practices in the areas of early childhood, special education, school partnerships, and community services and strategies. One of our missions is to improve teaching and learning by conducting research on the innovative design, use, and assessment of interactive learning environments. A particular focus is helping educational technology firms improve their products by providing research insights and strengthening educational designs.

About SRI International

Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. SRI, which was founded by Stanford University as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became independent in 1970, has been meeting the strategic needs of clients and partners for more than 60 years. Perhaps best known for its invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing, SRI has also been responsible for major advances in networking and communications, robotics, drug discovery and development, advanced materials, atmospheric research, education research, economic development, national security, and more. The nonprofit institute performs sponsored research and development for government agencies, businesses, and foundations. SRI also licenses its technologies, forms strategic alliances, and creates spin-off companies. In 2009, SRI's consolidated revenues, including its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, Sarnoff Corporation, were approximately $470 million. Sarnoff Corporation, a leader in vision, video, and semiconductor innovations, will be fully integrated into SRI effective January 1, 2011.

SOURCE SRI International

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