Computational Thinking Assessment (Gane et al., 2021)
Expert NotesStrengths:Explicitly grounded in learning trajectories, allowing items to target different levels of students’ computational thinking development and capture progression in their understanding rather than just isolated skills.
Cautions:Closely tied to specific learning trajectories and the associated instructional sequence, so its effectiveness may depend on students having had aligned learning experiences
Topics: Student LearningThe learning trajectory-based computational thinking (CT) assessments are a set of paper-and-pencil instruments designed to measure upper elementary students’ CT knowledge and skills within integrated instructional contexts. Developed by Gane and colleagues (2021), these assessments are aligned…Computational Thinking Rubric (CTR)
Expert NotesStrengths:Captures multiple dimensions of computational thinking (e.g., problem formulation, abstraction, algorithm use, and debugging) with leveled criteria, allowing for structured and comprehensive evaluation of students’ CT development over time.
Cautions:Relies on subjective rubric scoring based on students’ classroom performance (e.g., programming and debugging), which may introduce rater bias and depend heavily on the consistency and expertise of evaluators.
Topics: Student LearningThe Computational Thinking Rubric (CTR) is an analytic assessment tool designed to evaluate students’ computational thinking skills across multiple domains within learning activities such as robotics education. The rubric includes six core components: formulating problems, abstraction, logical…Computationally Intensive Science Career Interests (CISCI) Instrument
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Computationally Intensive Science Career Interests Instrument (CISCI) is an instument that explores middle school students' interests in careers in the intensive sciences. It contains 5 constucts/ dimensions: CIS career value, CIS academic self-efficacy, CIS career self-efficacy, CIS career…Computationally Intensive Science Career Interests (CISCI) Instrument
Expert NotesStrengths:Well suited for examining whether computationally rich science activities are associated with changes in students’ career interests
Cautions:Targets computationally intensive science careers and thus is less useful for studies examining general STEM career interests
Relies on self-report rather than actual course-taking decisions or career trajectories
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Computationally Intensive Science Career Interests Instrument (CISCI) is an instument that explores middle school students' interests in disciplines and careers requiring both traditional scientific knowledge and computer science (CS)-related understanding and skills. It contains 5 constucts or…Conceptions of Engineering: Photo Novellas Assignment and Codebook (Hammack et al., 2024)
Expert NotesStrengths:Supports engagement of rural and Indigenous students through local funds of knowledge
Multimodal format that is accessible to young learners
Cautions:Requires student access to cameras or cameraphones
Time- and labor-intensive to code and analyze
Deductive codebook may miss emergent or culturally specific ideas
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Conceptions of Engineering: Photo Novellas Assignment and Codebook is an instrument that uses photo "novella" (story) to investigate primary-grade students understanding of engineering in rural and reservation communities.The codebook was developed by two engineering professors and two…Conceptual Assessment of Children's Ideas about Evolution
Expert NotesStrengths:Uses an interview-based, developmentally appropriate format (with visual prompts and open-ended questions) to elicit young children’s ideas without requiring reading, writing, or prior scientific terminology, making it well-suited for capturing authentic thinking in pre-literate learners
Cautions:Relies on one-on-one, interview-based administration, which can be time-intensive and requires skilled interviewers to ask questions consistently and interpret children’s responses accurately
Topics: Student LearningThe Conceptual Assessment of Children’s Ideas about Evolution (CACIE) is a standardized, interview-based assessment tool designed to measure young children’s understanding of key evolutionary concepts.The assessment focuses on children’s ideas about the core evolutionary principles of variation,…Conditions for Learning (CfL) Survey
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: BelongingAIR supports improved student and school performance through the Conditions for Learning Survey, administered in schools across the United States, including the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The survey assesses four core constructs within elementary, middle and high schools: A safe and…Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)
Expert NotesStrengths:Strong internal consistency and test–retest reliability; Sensitive to change over time (useful for tracking intervention effects); Applicable across settings (mental health, education, workforce, etc.)
Cautions:Not specific to education or academic contexts (needs interpretation for higher ed use); Scores can be influenced by current mood or temporary stress levels
The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) is a survey that measures how well a person can cope with stress and recover from difficult situations. It treats resilience as something that can change over time, and that may improve with support or treatment, especially for conditions like anxiety,…Continuing Motivation Survey
Expert NotesStrengths:Measures not only engagement but avoidance, enabling differentiation between lack of interest and active disengagement.
Cautions:Mentions of media types where students might encounter science content need updating (e.g. magazine subscriptions)
Take care when scoring: Some items are reverse-coded.
Not to be used as a diagnostic for individuals.
If you want to use it for ages other than late elementary/middle, verify its reliability and validity with those other age groups first.
Doesn't make sense with populations who don't have internet access.
Zoos, nature hikes, and natural history museums are left out of the survey items because they weren't relevant to the population originally tested on
Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Science educationThe Continuing Motivation Survey (CMS) is a survey that assesses students' engagement with science content outside of school. It is composed of 19 instruments, and studies students' motivation around science education outside of school and school-mandated education.The term "continuing motivation"…Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (School Form) (CSEI-SC)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CSEI-SC measures self-concept, and it can be used for individual diagnosis, classroom screening, or pre-post evaluation. Subscore(s): Lie scale, General self, Social self-peers, Home-parents, School-academic Note: The overview provided for this instrument includes content that may have been…Coping Flexibility Scale
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe Coping Flexibility Scale is a 10-item assessment containing two subscales that measure evaluation coping and adapative coping. Each subscale contains 5 items that are rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Note: The overview provided for this instrument includes content that may have been sourced…Core Districts Social Emotional Learning Survey
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingTags: Higher educationThe CORE Districts, a group of districts in California committed to measuring and supporting an expanded definition of student success, have created a survey to identify the social-emotional strengths and needs for students in grades 4-12. This survey asks students about their perceptions of their…Cornell Critical Thinking Test
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CCTT is designed to assess students‘ reasoning ability. The assessment spans five subscales: Induction, Deduction, Observation, Credibility, and Assumptions. Note: The overview provided for this instrument includes content that may have been sourced from the instrument publisher's or author’s…CoVitality Social Emotional Health Surveys (SEHS)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CoVitality SEHS, partially funded by IES at the US Department of Education, aligns with national frameworks of social-emotional competencies, measuring student strengths. There are three forms for use in corresponding grade levels: primary, secondary, and higher education. Note: The overview…Creative Coding Rubric
Expert NotesStrengths:Uses a hands-on, manipulable physical system to elicit children’s reasoning, allowing researchers to directly observe how preschoolers infer and test causal relationships rather than relying solely on verbal explanations or abstract questions.
Cautions:Only applies to apply to coding applications that use block-based programing, e.g. ScratchJr; measures outcome only, not process of creating coding projects; have not yet tested how easily teachers can use the rubric
Topics: Student LearningEvaluates coding skills and project design across 13 categories. Unahalekhaka & Bers (2022) validated with 228 ScratchJr projects.Unahalekhaka & Bers (2022) developed the first version, "ScratchJr Project Rubric"; Blake-West et al. (2025) redesigned the rubric to treat creative coding as a…Creative Self-efficacy Scale (CSE)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe Creative Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE) is a self-report measure of creative self-efficacy in middle and high school aged students. The 3 items contained within the CSE are answered on a five-point Likert scale.Creativity Assessment Packet (Test of Divergent Thinking) (CAP)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student LearningThe Creativity Assessment Packet (CAP) is a bundle of three assessments (Test of Divergent Thinking, Test of Divergent Feeling, and The Williams Scale) designed to measure cognitive competencies. Subscore(s): Subscale scores are reported: Originality, Fluency, Flexibility, Elaboration Note: The…Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CAT instrument is a unique tool designed to assess and promote the improvement of critical thinking and real-world problem solving skills. Most of the questions require short answer essay responses, and a detailed scoring guide helps ensure good scoring reliability. The CAT instrument is scored…Cultivate Survey
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student LearningCultivate is administered to all of a schools’ 5th-12th grade classrooms. Students in each of those grades are randomly assigned to report on their English, math, science, or social studies class. Survey results are grouped by grade level and subject area; classroom- and teacher-level data is not…Culturally Ambitious Teaching Practices in Mathematics (CATP)
Expert NotesStrengths:Has been used with teacher-practitioners in improvement efforts
Cautions:Has not been validated with other instruments; Should not be used for evaluation; Requires multiple observations; Calibration required for research purposes
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentTags: Culturally responsive schooling, Instructional practices, Learning environments, Mathematics educationCulturally Ambitious Teaching Practices in Mathematics (CATP) measures practices that support the development of a culturally relevant classroom environment.Culturally Inclusive and Responsive Curricular Environments (CIRCLE scale)
Expert NotesStrengths:Quick and easy to administer
Cautions:Validated with only Grade 7 students; Has been used primarily for research and not in school improvement efforts
Topics: Student Well-BeingThe Culturally Inclusive and Responsive Curricular Environments (CIRCLE) Scale is a student survey that captures how culturally inclusive, respectful, and responsive a school’s learning environment feels to students. It was developed using interviews with middle school students from multiple…Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP)
Expert NotesStrengths:Validated in Grades K-3; Has been used to measure teacher professional learning; Evidence suggest relationship between observed practices and students’ academic achievement
Cautions:Should not be used for evaluation; Requires multiple observations; Calibration required for research purposes
Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentThe Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) is a comprehensive framework and evaluation tool that operationalizes culturally responsive instruction. Indicators of culturally responsive instruction are rated on a scale of 0 (never) to 4 (consistently); and each indicator…Culturally Responsive Teaching Survey (CRTS)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentThe Culturally Responsive Teaching Survey measures instructional practices associated with culturally responsive teaching, including conveying respect and connectedness, building on students' personal experiences, and encouraging confidence as learners. Subscore(s): Establishing inclusion;…Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (CRTSE)
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Teacher and Leader DevelopmentThe Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (CRTSE) is a survey that assesses teachers‘ beliefs that engaging in culturally responsive teaching practices will have positive classroom and student outcomes. The scale is based on Bandura's (1977) research on outcome expectancies (a person's…Culture of Excellence and Ethics Assessment (CEEA) for Staff
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CEEA equips schools and workplaces to make data-driven decisions to improve the culture and climate. The CEEA for schools is aligned with 21st Century Skills and distinguished from other school climate surveys by its unique focus on the cultural assets provided by school and family culture. …Culture of Excellence and Ethics Assessment (CEEA) for Parent/Staff/Youth
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CEEA equips schools and workplaces to make data-driven decisions to improve the culture and climate. The CEEA for schools is aligned with 21st Century Skills and distinguished from other school climate surveys by its unique focus on the cultural assets provided by school and family culture. …Culture of Excellence and Ethics Assessment (CEEA) for Youth
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe CEEA equips schools and workplaces to make data-driven decisions to improve the culture and climate. The CEEA for schools is aligned with 21st Century Skills and distinguished from other school climate surveys by its unique focus on the cultural assets provided by school and family culture. …Custom-built electronic toy to test causal structure knowledge
Expert NotesStrengths:Uses a hands-on, manipulable physical system to elicit children’s reasoning, allowing researchers to directly observe how preschoolers infer and test causal relationships rather than relying solely on verbal explanations or abstract questions.
Cautions:The custom-built device may be a barrier for some educators looking to use this assessment.
Topics: Student LearningThis assessment is a task-based instrument designed to measure preschool children’s understanding of causal relationships through structured interaction with a physical system. The instrument uses a custom-built device consisting of two gears and a switch, where different underlying causal…Data Analysis and Graphing Assessment (Watson et al., 2024)
Expert NotesStrengths:Uses a multi-method “system of assessments” (including pre/post tests, in-game learning analytics, observation, and questionnaires), allowing for a more comprehensive and multidimensional evaluation of computational thinking across concepts, practices, and perspectives.
Cautions:Relies partly on game-based performance and in-game analytics, which may reflect students’ familiarity with digital tools or gaming strategies rather than purely their computational thinking skills.
Topics: Student LearningThis assessment consists of task-based activities designed to measure primary students’ ability to interpret data, construct graphical representations, and make predictions using interpolation and extrapolation within STEM contexts. Students engage in hands-on investigations, collect quantitative…Delaware Bullying Victimization Surveys
Expert NotesStrengths:Cautions:Topics: Student Well-BeingThe 2016 Delaware School Surveys (DSS) are comprised of five separate scales: Delaware School Climate Scale (DSCS); Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale (DBVS); Delaware Student Engagement Scale (DSES); Delaware Positive, Punitive, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Techniques Scale (DTS); and…