ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES FOR STEAM COMPETENCIES:CONNECTING PEDAGOGICAL MODELS TO PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN HEALTH SCIENCES

Abstract

Assessments of student learning in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) education have changed a great deal from traditional assessment modes, thus requiring the implementation of assessment models that accurately reflect the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM competencies. This chapter reviews a variety of assessment modalities that have been developed to assess STEAM competencies, including performance assessments, portfolio assessments, formative feedback, and technology-enabled assessments, and situates them in the wider context of developing 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Using examples from allied health practice such as progressive assessment of upper extremity function and task-specific retraining after stroke to illustrate how structured, multidimensional assessment models cross discipline lines. The chapter investigates challenges such as subjectivity in creativity assessment, scalability of authentic assessment, and necessity of assessor training. The chapter concludes with a call for an integrated, evidence-based approach to STEAM assessment consistent with innovations in education and emerging accountability standards in the real world.