SAILS

Dates Active: 2012 - 2015
Project Members:

Odilla Finlayson, Eilish McLoughlin, Deirdre McCabe, James Lovatt, Paul van Kampen

Meeting the challenge of assessing inquiry learning in science

The SAILS project, coordinated by CASTeL, demonstrates how inquiry approaches can be used for teaching a range of scientific topics at second level, and has facilitated science teachers to become confident and competent in the assessment of their students’ learning through inquiry. The project team has developed and provided professional development to more than 2500 science teachers in 12 European countries These teachers have strengthened their inquiry pedagogy and assessment practices by developing their understanding of the role of assessment. Through a dynamic collaboration between SAILS partners and teachers, nineteen SAILS Inquiry and Assessment Units have been developed which showcase the benefits of adopting inquiry approaches in classroom practice, exemplify how assessment practices are embedded in inquiry lessons and illustrate the variety of assessment opportunities and/or processes available to science teachers.