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Hey, I'm Shelley and I attend Voorhees University. I'm in the master's program studying teaching and learning for elementary education. In my STEAM course, we are studying STEAM assessment probes, and would I like your feedback. Two types of probes can be used to assess students concept-based probes and phenomenon-based probes. Concept-based probes uncover students' thinking about a concept which sometimes can be simple as a justified list of words or phrases and picture(s). This way the student will have a mental construction and an understanding of a concept. Phenomenon-based probes are observable events that occur in the real world and we use scientific concepts to solve them. Students can engage in small or whole group discussions about real-world problems or what's happening in their community. During instructional planning the first phase should be diagnostic of what students know and what did they use to know and where did their ideas come from. The second phase of instructional planning is formative what can the teacher do to address the student's ideas?

Hello Ms. Shelley,

While studying STEAM Assessment probes, I have learned probes are specifically designed questions that reveal what students are thinking.  Questions that engage students, and figure out that their ideas matter regardless of whether they are right or wrong.  Probes can learn the importance of taking the time to find out what students have “learned” from their prior experience both in and outside of school.  I hope you find this information helpful.

I wish you all the best in your STEAM Education course.

Ruthie F. Brown