Designing Solutions Short open-ended items can ask students to design a solution to a problem and provide factual evidence that their solution will probably work within the given constraints. These essays require students to apply the basic principles they have learned. Since the answers can be highly divergent, focused holistic scoring is generally preferred for these types of constructed response items. As with other content-bound constructed response items, the scorer must have some content knowledge as well as good reasoning skills. An item may require the student to produce an engineering design such as the example below. This example requires a thorough understanding of evaporation and animal habits to complete a workable solution to the problem. Example: Describe a method that could be used to catch and hold rainwater for a family living in a dry region. Include methods to prevent evaporation and contamination by wild animals. You may use labeled drawings to help you explain your design. Be sure to explain why your design will work, using basic scientific principles. Scoring Suggestions: Holistic scoring is ideal for open-ended items that require designing a solution to a problem. A scorer will need to have enough knowledge to recognize designs that could be supported by facts but are not, and the scorer will need to be able to determine the accuracy of facts used to support designs. A scorer will also need to understand the constraints on experimental designs in order to score experimental designs. Rubric for Designing Solutions Thoroughness Clarity Accuracy 4 All design Clear All facts Design is constraints are presentation are strongly met. Explanation makes the accurate. supported of design is work easy to by facts. detailed enough follow. that design could There is no be replicated. redundancy.
Designing Solutions Short open-ended items can ask students to design a solution to a problem and provide factual evidence that their solution will probably work within the given constraints. These essays require students to apply the basic principles they have learned. Since the answers can be highly divergent, focused holistic scoring is generally preferred for these types of constructed response items. As with other content-bound constructed response items, the scorer must have some content knowledge as well as good reasoning skills. An item may require the student to produce an engineering design such as the example below. This example requires a thorough understanding of evaporation and animal habits to complete a workable solution to the problem. Example: Describe a method that could be used to catch and hold rainwater for a family living in a dry region. Include methods to prevent evaporation and contamination by wild animals. You may use labeled drawings to help you explain your design. Be sure to explain why your design will work, using basic scientific principles. Scoring Suggestions: Holistic scoring is ideal for open-ended items that require designing a solution to a problem. A scorer will need to have enough knowledge to recognize designs that could be supported by facts but are not, and the scorer will need to be able to determine the accuracy of facts used to support designs. A scorer will also need to understand the constraints on experimental designs in order to score experimental designs. Rubric for Designing Solutions Thoroughness Clarity Accuracy 4 All design constraints are met. Explanation of design is detailed enough that design could be replicated. Clear presentation makes the work easy to follow. There is no redundancy. All facts are accurate. Design is strongly supported by facts.