Adaptation of STEM Competencies Assessment Framework for 4th-grade Level

As observed in the studies encountered in the literature, when students' STEM competencies are evaluated, scores from large-scale mathematics and/or science tests are used instead of scores from interdisciplinary measurement tools specifically developed to measure STEM competencies. In order to develop an assessment tool to determine students' STEM competency scores, firstly, a STEM competencies assessment framework is needed because no assessment framework has been found to assess STEM competencies at the primary school level. For this reason, the current study aimed to adapt the STEM competencies assessment framework to the 4th-grade level, which was developed by Arikan et al. (2022) and presented validity evidence at the 8th-grade level. In this context, the reliability and validity evidence of the scores obtained from a measurement tool on the assessment framework adapted to the 4th-grade level are presented. The assessment framework presented in the current study was prepared by considering the multidimensional and integrated structure of STEM competencies-science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The factor structure was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis using data collected from 4th-grade students. The items in the developed measurement tool were analyzed at the item level using Item Response Theory. The findings show that the adapted STEM assessment framework can be used for 4th graders.