Task Demands and Accountability in Middle-Grade Science Classes

The types of thinking students engage in and the quality of learning that occurs are largely influenced by the nature of the tasks students complete. This study assessed the level of cognitive demand inherent in and the manner in which students were held accountable for 31 laboratory activities, 45 worksheets, and 31 exams in 11 seventh-grade life science classes during 2 instructional units. In general, tasks presented minimal cognitive demands. All laboratories required students to follow simple, step-by-step procedures and record descriptive data. Most worksheets and exam items required students to reproduce material exactly as it had been presented in the textbook or other instructional resources. The article speculates on the effects of such task experience on students' perceptions and learning of science and concludes with a number of suggestions about how school personnel might analyze and modify curriculum tasks.