Making Science Assessment Culturally Valid for Aboriginal Students

Abstract

Developing visible and meaningful connections between Western school science andAboriginal science will bring school science closer to home experiences fo r Aboriginalstudents, giving them greater confidence, increased self-esteem, more initiative, andcreativity (Cajete, 1994; Shizha, 2007). Developing these connections is achieved inpart through creating culturally responsive assessment practices in science class­rooms from a sociocultural perspective. Such a perspective sees knowledge and learn­ing in terms o f the relationship between an individual and his or her environment(Gee, 2008; Mislevy, 2006). It is imperative that science assessments reflect the ideathat culture and society play a critical role in cognitive development (Solano-Flores &Nelson-Barber, 2001). Science assessments related to Aboriginal experiences and de­veloped in collaboration with Aboriginal community members will have greater cul­tural validity and develop the connections between Western and Aboriginal science.Attaining greater cultural validity in science assessments occurs when the focus ofschool science changes from a positivistic, assimilative perspective to a more sociocul­tural perspective.