Instructional Quality Assessment Tool (Tekkumru-Kisa et al., 2020)
Expert NotesStrengths:Uses both classroom observations and student work to capture what students are actually doing
Cautions:Not intended to be used as a teacher evaluation
Tested with a small sample from a single secondary school in the southeastern U.S.
Results depend heavily on which lessons or assignments teachers submit
Requires clear guidance and rater training to ensure consistent scoring
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentTags: Science educationThe Instructional Quality Assessment Tool for Science (IQA-Science) is designed to measure how rigorous and intellectually engaging science instruction is in real classrooms. IQA-Science combines classroom observations with teachers’ assignments and samples of student work to capture what students…Modeling-Based Teaching Observation Protocol (MBTOP) Shi et. al, 2021
Expert NotesStrengths:Focuses on what teachers actually do in classrooms when supporting scientific modeling
Uses clear performance indicators and levels that can support feedback, reflection, and PD
Grounded in video evidence, making expectations for modeling-based instruction concrete
Cautions:Requires trained observers and time to score
Validated using videotaped lessons in China focused on electrochemistry, so may not generalize to other countries, grade levels, or science topics
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentTags: Science educationThe Modeling-Based Teaching Observation Protocol (MBTOP) is a classroom observation protocol that measures the quality of teachers’ modeling-based teaching in science. Developed by Shi and colleagues in 2021, it assesses 18 indicators of modeling-based teaching performance (MBTP) across five…Science Practices Epistemic Survey Suite (includes: Epistemic Orientation Survey [EOS], Epistemic Nature of Science Practice Survey [ENSP], Science Practice Implementation Survey [SPI]; Kite et al., 2021)
Expert NotesStrengths:Provides insight for professional development by identifying areas where teachers may need support in implementing science-as-practice approaches.
Cautions:Relies on self-reported implementation, so actual classroom practice may differ (desirability bias possible)
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentTags: Science educationThis suite of surveys is designed to explore how secondary science teachers understand and implement the NGSS science practices. Together, the surveys measure three interconnected aspects: teachers’ epistemic orientations (views about how scientific knowledge is generated), their understanding of…Interview Protocol for Teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Science (Alonzo & Kim, 2015)
Expert NotesStrengths:Helps reveal both the knowledge teachers can explain and the knowledge they use spontaneously while teaching.
Provides detailed insights into how teachers interpret and respond to student thinking.
Can inform teacher education and professional development by highlighting areas of strong and weak PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge)
Cautions:Focused on high-school physics; may need adaptation for other grades or subjects.
Requires teachers to watch and reflect on videos, which takes time and comfort with video-based self-analysis.
Interpretation relies on skilled interviewers; different researchers might infer slightly different things from teacher responses.
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentTags: Science educationThe Video-Based Interview Protocol for Teacher PCK in Science (Alonzo & Kim, 2015) uses video-based interviews to understand what teachers know about teaching science (their Pedagogical Content Knowledge, or PCK) and how they use that knowledge in real classrooms. Teachers watch short clips of…Science Interest and Classroom Culture Survey (Singelton et al., 2023)
Expert NotesStrengths:Focuses on how classroom culture (working together and feeling cared for) supports student interest in science
Especially useful for understanding the experiences of students from historically marginalized groups
Cautions:Developed and tested within specific instructional contexts (e.g., OpenSciEd units)
Best for understanding patterns across classrooms, not making claims about individual students
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Science Interest and Classroom Culture Survey is a teacher questionnaire that measures beliefs, preparedness, and instructional practices related to science instruction and classroom culture. Developed by Singelton and colleagues in 2023, the survey focuses on how teachers are enacting…Science Capital Questionnaire (Archer et al., 2015)
Expert NotesStrengths:Grounded in a strong sociological framework linking science participation, identity, and aspirations
Useful for understanding whether programs are changing students’ interest or plans in science
Helps explain why some students feel confident in science and see themselves as “science people”
Looks at science experiences both in and out of school, not just test performance
Cautions:Combines many ideas into one overall score, which can make results harder to interpret
Based on students’ self-reports rather than direct evidence of learning or behavior
Works best alongside interviews or observations, not as a stand-alone measure
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Science Capital Questionnaire is a student survey that measures young people’s access to and engagement with science-related resources, experiences, and networks. Developed by Archer and colleagues in 2015, the questionnaire assesses “science capital,” which includes science-related knowledge,…Teaching NGSS Science with Multilingual Learners Questionnaire (Grapin et al., 2024)
Expert NotesStrengths:Useful in linguistically diverse contexts, for both research and professional development design
Cautions:Some NGSS and language constructs are difficult for teachers to interpret consistently
Validation evidence is currently strongest for elementary (K–6) teachers
Relies on self-reported practices rather than direct observation
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Teaching NGSS Science with Multilingual Learners Questionnaire is a teacher survey that measures elementary teachers’ beliefs, preparedness, and instructional practices for teaching science to multilingual learners under the Next Generation Science Standards. Developed by Grapin and colleagues…Argumentative Dialogues in Science Teaching Observational Protocol (Martins & Macagno, 2022)
Expert NotesStrengths:Captures both the process and product of scientific argumentation
Applicable across varied science teaching contexts and dialogic purposes
Cautions:High analytical complexity due to many dimensions and categories
Requires substantial time, training, and interpretive judgment by analysts
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Argumentative Dialogues in Science Teaching Observational Protocol is a classroom observation protocol that measures the quality of argumentative dialogue in science instruction. Developed by Martins and Macagno in 2022, the tool examines how teachers and students construct, respond to, and…