Co-Measure: developing an assessment for student collaboration in STEAM activities

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychometrics
• Learning Sciences

Background:

• Global shortage of skilled Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) workers drives interest in STEAM education.
• STEAM integrates Arts and Humanities to enhance engagement and creative problem-solving in STEM fields.
• Limited research exists on effective STEAM instructional approaches and assessment of collaborative problem-solving (CPS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a rubric for assessing individual student collaboration within K-12 STEAM activities.
• To provide researchers and educators with a tool to measure collaborative problem-solving skills.
• To inform the advancement of STEAM instruction and learning.

Main Methods:

• Iterative development and validation process involving learning scientists, educational researchers, and psychometricians.
• Utilized generalized frameworks of CPS to guide research specific to STEAM contexts.
• Identified and evaluated key attributes of student behavior indicative of CPS in STEAM classrooms.

Main Results:

• Development of a rubric named Co-Measure for assessing individual-level student collaboration in K-12 STEAM settings.
• The rubric provides a validated tool for measuring collaborative problem-solving skills.
• Co-Measure is made freely available to support STEAM education research and practice.

Conclusions:

• Assessment of student collaboration is essential for effective STEAM instruction in K-12 settings.
• The Co-Measure rubric can help identify needs for problem-solving opportunities and instructional adjustments.
• Co-Measure shows potential for adaptation to assess CPS in elementary and post-secondary STEAM classrooms.