Assessment in Primary Science

Validity

The classic way of defining the validity of an assessment tool is the extent to which it measures what it was designed to measure. For example, a test of science knowledge should not depend on reading skill. However validity is not a fixed property of an assessment tool. It can be seen as an appraisal of the quality of the interpretations and decisions that are made on the basis assessment – valid assessments can be strongly justified by reference to evidence of learning.