The revised lower secondary science syllabus was recently implemented in Singapore in 2021. One important new element is learning the Practices of Science (POS), which includes eight ways of thinking and doing science (WOTD). The proposed study focuses on WOTD aspects, which lie at the heart of thinking critically/reflectively about science and resemble what scientists do. WOTD aspects can be classified into three spheres of scientific activity –investigating, reasoning and evaluating, and modelling and explaining.

To determine extents of students’ performance in WOTD, there is a need for a robust and validated survey instrument. Thus, the proposed development project aims to construct and validate a new survey instrument to assess secondary science students’ ways of thinking and doing science (WOTD) as articulated in the Singapore lower secondary science curriculum. The instrument will help determine secondary students’ (i) performance levels on WOTD based on the three spheres of scientific activity and (ii) possible changes in the former due to teaching or an educational intervention.

Our intended survey instrument will comprise a series of questions targeted at assessing students’ performance on the three spheres of scientific activity -investigating, reasoning and evaluating, and modelling and explaining. Potential survey items have been developed and a preliminary version is being tested with secondary two students at a local school. Pilot test results will inform typical responses to items and also solicit feedback on item clarity, etc. Within the project duration, the survey instrument will be iteratively revised through another pilot test and two rounds of implementation with secondary school students in Singapore. Selected students will be interviewed to ensure response process validity. 

The tangible outcome of this project is a WOTD survey instrument package that includes: (1) a validated item survey of secondary students’ WOTD performance, (2) scoring guide for evaluating students’ responses in (1), and (3) a set of educative materials on how to interpret students’ performances on the survey. The survey instrument package will be utilised in relevant teacher professional development (PD) to foster science teachers’ assessment literacy in scientific practices that are essential for learning in science. Furthermore, feedback will be sought from PD workshop participants to further improve the instrument package. Impact of the survey instrument package includes use in future research for evaluating effectiveness of interventions/existing teaching practices aimed at developing students’ WOTD. While the instrument is developed for the Singapore education context, it is also relevant and useful for international educational systems with scientific practices as a goal of science education.