This longitudinal study examines the relationship between students' knowledge-in-use performance and their performance on third-party designed summative tests within a coherent and equitable learning environment. Focusing on third-grade students across three consecutive project-based learning (PBL) units aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the study includes 1067 participants from 23 schools in a Great Lakes state. Two-level hierarchical linear modeling estimates the effects of post-unit assessments on end-of-year summative tests. Results indicate that post-unit assessment performances predict NGSS-aligned summative test performance. Students experiencing more PBL units demonstrate greater gains on the summative test, with predictions not favoring students from diverse backgrounds. This study underscores the importance of coherence, equity, and the PBL approach in promoting knowledge-in-use and science achievement. A systematically coherent PBL environment across multiple units facilitates the development of students' knowledge-in-use, highlighting the significance of designing science and engineering practices (SEPs) and crosscutting concepts coherently and progressively, with intentional revisitation of disciplinary core ideas (DCIs). The study also investigates how the PBL approach fosters equitable learning environments for diverse demographic groups, offering equitable opportunities through equity-oriented design. Contributions include a coherent assessment system that tracks and supports learning aligned with NGSS, emphasizing the predictive power of post-unit assessments, continuous monitoring and tracking. The implications of context similarity and optimal performance expectations within units are discussed. Findings inform educators, administrators, and policymakers about the benefits of NGSS-aligned PBL systems and the need for coherent and equitable learning and assessment systems supporting knowledge-in-use development and equitable opportunities for all learners.

中文翻译：

---

小学生知识运用表现与科学成绩之间的关系

这项纵向研究考察了学生在连贯和公平的学习环境中使用知识的表现与他们在第三方设计的总结性测试中的表现之间的关系。该研究以符合下一代科学标准 (NGSS) 的连续三个基于项目的学习 (PBL) 单元的三年级学生为对象，包括来自五大湖州 23 所学校的 1067 名参与者。两级分层线性模型估计单元后评估对年终总结性测试的影响。结果表明，单元后评估表现可以预测与 NGSS 一致的总结性测试表现。经历更多 PBL 单元的学生在总结性测试中表现出更大的进步，但预测并不利于来自不同背景的学生。这项研究强调了一致性、公平性和 PBL 方法在促进知识使用和科学成就方面的重要性。跨多个单元的系统一致的 PBL 环境有助于学生使用知识的发展，强调连贯和渐进地设计科学和工程实践（SEP）和横切概念的重要性，并有意识地重新审视学科核心思想（DCI）。该研究还调查了 PBL 方法如何为不同人口群体营造公平的学习环境，通过以公平为导向的设计提供公平的机会。贡献包括一个连贯的评估系统，该系统跟踪和支持与 NGSS 一致的学习，强调单元后评估、持续监控和跟踪的预测能力。讨论了单元内上下文相似性和最佳性能期望的含义。研究结果让教育工作者、管理者和政策制定者了解符合 NGSS 的 PBL 系统的好处，以及需要一致和公平的学习和评估系统来支持知识的使用发展和所有学习者的公平机会。