Exploring the use of statewide exit exams to spread innovation—The example of Context in science tasks from an international comparative perspective

Many innovation-oriented concepts have recently been discussed as means to improve science education and instruction as well as the corresponding tests and exit exams. So far, empirical evidence of whether these new concepts for exam tasks actually find their way into the exam practice is still pending. This contribution takes up this desideratum and exemplifically examines the tasks of statewide exit exams from selected countries in the subjects biology, chemistry and physics with regard to a possible increased context orientation in exam tasks as one prominent characteristic of the requested ‘innovative task culture’.

► Improving Science Education and Instruction by using innovation-oriented concepts (e.g. context). ► Analysis of Exam Papers in OECD-member States. ► Context-oriented tasks play only a minor role in the exam papers.