134 Figure 6. PISA 2015 Epistemic Knowledge Epistemic Knowledge The constructs and defining features of science. That is:
The nature of scientific observations, facts, hypotheses, models and theories;
The purpose and goals of science (to produce explanations of the natural world) as
distinguished from technology (to produce an optimal solution to human need), what
constitutes a scientific or technological question and appropriate data;
The values of science
e.g. , a commitment to publication, objectivity and the elimination of
bias;
The nature of reasoning used in science
e.g. , deductive, inductive, inference to the best
explanation (abductive), analogical, and model-based;
The role of these constructs and features in justifying the knowledge produced by
science.
That is:
How scientific claims are supported by data and reasoning in science;
The function of different forms of empirical enquiry in establishing knowledge, their goal
(to test explanatory hypotheses or identify patterns) and their design (observation,
controlled experiments, correlational studies);
How measurement error affects the degree of confidence in scientific knowledge;
The use and role of physical, system and abstract models and their limits;
The role of collaboration and critique and how peer review helps to establish confidence
in scientific claims;
The role of scientific knowledge, along with other forms of knowledge, in identifying and
addressing societal and technological issues.
52. Epistemic knowledge is most likely to be tested in a pragmatic fashion in a context where a
student is required to interpret and answer a question that requires some epistemic knowledge
rather than assessing directly whether they understand the features in Figure 6. For instance,
students may be asked to identify whether the conclusions are justified by the data or what piece of
evidence best supports the hypothesis advanced in an item and explain why.
Sample Items 53. In this section, three examples of science units are presented. The first is from PISA 2006, and
is included to demonstrate the linkage between the 2006 and the 2015 framework. Questions from
the unit are shown in the original paper based format and also how they might be transposed and
presented onscreen. The second example is a new onscreen unit illustrating the 2015 scientific
literacy framework. The third example illustrates an interactive simulated scientific enquiry
environment enabling assessment within a rich contextual setting.