Project 2061: Systemic reform of K-12 education for science literacy

Researchers have consistently pointed to teacher deficit views, inequitable identification of policies and practices, and differential access to resources to explain the dearth of traditionally underserved learners in gifted programs across the nation. Culturally relevant leadership is one way to remedy this problem through systemic educational reform at the district and school levels. The purpose of this article is to provide a systematic review of the literature on leadership, systemic reform, and identification and services in gifted education for culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) K–12 students in the United States. Drawing from this literature, we report what we know to date on systemic district reforms and their consideration of minoritized populations in gifted education through five themes: systemic bias; equity and excellence; deficit thinking; hiring practices, training, and professional development; and parent and community networks. We then reflect on the potential for equitable systemic reform efforts inclusive of CLED students.

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Developing Resilient K-12 STEM Teachers

Advances in Developing Human Resources ◽

10.1177/1523422318814483 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 16-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Diane S. Wright ◽

Meena M. Balgopal ◽

Laura B. Sample McMeeking ◽

Andrea E. Weinberg

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Adaptive Capacity ◽

Human Resource Development ◽

Teacher Educators ◽

Systemic Reform ◽

Teacher Professional ◽

And Mathematics ◽

New Policies ◽

Reform Model ◽

K 12

The Problem The US is currently experiencing a shortage of K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers, especially in high-poverty communities. The shortage can be explained by both low teacher recruitment and high teacher turnover; however, the reasons why teachers leave the profession are complex. The Solution We argue that teacher professional development programs are often focused on how teachers can meet the needs of their students but ignore how teachers can build their own professional resilience. We draw from research in both teacher self-efficacy and ecological adaptive capacity to propose a revised Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform Model that identifies adaptive capacity as an outcome goal for individuals and school systems. School environments are dynamic (e.g., new policies, student needs, and changing administrators), and as a result, teachers need skills to adapt, enabling them to be resilient while still meeting students’ needs. The Stakeholders Professional development, teacher educators, human resource development (HRD) practitioners, K-12 STEM teachers.

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Improving Science Literacy Through Project Based K 12 Outreach Efforts That Use Energy And Environmental Themes

10.18260/1-2--158 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jan DeWaters ◽

Susan Powers

Keyword(s):

Science Literacy ◽

K 12

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K-12 astronomy benchmarks from Project 2061

The Physics Teacher ◽

10.1119/1.1341944 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 38 (9) ◽

pp. 538-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Timothy F. Slater

Keyword(s):

K 12 ◽

Project 2061

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Science Communication Versus Science Education: The Graduate Student Scientist As A K-12 Classroom Resource

Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC) ◽

10.19030/tlc.v2i6.1831 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Jeff Strauss ◽

Richard E. Shope III ◽

Susan Terebey

Keyword(s):

Science Education ◽

No Child Left Behind ◽

Los Angeles ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Graduate Student ◽

Science Communication ◽

Common Ground ◽

Science Literacy ◽

Science Classroom ◽

K 12

Science literacy is a major goal of science educational reform (NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1998; NCLB Act, 2001). Some believe that teaching science only requires pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Shulman, 1987). Others believe doing science requires knowledge of the methodologies of scientific inquiry (NRC, 1996). With these two mindsets, the challenge for science educators is to create models that bring the two together. The common ground between those who teach science and those who do science is science communication, an interactive process that galvanizes dialogue among scientists, teachers, and learners in a rich ambience of mutual respect and a common, inclusive language of discourse (Stocklmayer, 2001). The dialogue between science and non-science is reflected in the polarization that separates those who do science and those who teach science, especially as it plays out everyday in the science classroom. You may be thinking, why is this important? It is vital because, although not all science learners become scientists, all K-12 students are expected to acquire science literacy, especially with the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Students are expected to acquire the ability to follow the discourse of science as well as connect the world of science to the context of their everyday life if they plan on moving to the next grade level, and in some states, to graduate from high school. This paper posits that science communication is highly effective in providing the missing link for K-12 students’ cognition in science and their attainment of science literacy. This paper will focus on the “Science For Our Schools” (SFOS) model implemented at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) as a project of the National Science Foundation’s GK-12 program, (NSF 2001) which has been a huge success in bridging the gap between those who “know” science and those who “teach” science. The SFOS model makes clear the distinctions that identify science, science communication, science education, and science literacy in the midst of science learning by bringing together graduate student scientists and science teachers to engage students in the two world’s dialogue in the midst of the school science classroom. The graduate student scientists and the science teachers worked as a team throughout the school year and became effective science communicators as they narrowed the gulf between the two worlds.

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The Possibility of Reform: Micropolitics in Higher Education

Education Policy Analysis Archives ◽

10.14507/epaa.v10n21.2002 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Susan Haag ◽

Mary Lee Smith

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Teacher Education ◽

Educational Reform ◽

Educational System ◽

Political Action ◽

Systemic Reform ◽

Teacher Preparation Program ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

K 12

The purpose of this case study was to examine the restructuring of an institution of higher education's teacher preparation program and to assess the possibility for systemic reform. Although teacher education represents a vital link in not only the educational system but in curricular reform, the increased expectations for educational reform made this institution unavoidably more political. These conditions meant that the study of micropolitics was critical to understanding how organizations change or fail to initiate change. Any effort to reform an organization requires examination of the reform effort's underlying assumptions, social and historical context for the reform, and how reform is congruent with the values, ideologies, and goals of the constituents. This case will serve those critiquing reform and also takes the extant K-12 micropolitical research into the heretofore unstudied realm of higher education therefore impacting reform at the post secondary level. Schools are vulnerable to a host of powerful external and internal forces. They exist in a vortex of government mandates, social and economic pressures, and conflicting ideologies associated with administrators, faculty, and students. Efforts to reform school are confounded by competing political agendas. At the very least, reform is an opportunity for political action by people in power. While literature regarding effective schools touts strong leadership and shared values, accomplishing school reform continues to remain problematic. Despite the widespread interest and infusion of resources for restructuring teacher education, the history of educational reform shows that initiatives have often failed. The study began with the micropolitical hypothesis that the educational system comprises diverse constituencies with differing ideologies regarding schooling. Qualitative methodology was employed to portray intra-organizational processes, to provide concrete depiction of detail, and to study social change. Micropolitics and symbolic interactionism, the theoretical frameworks for the study, influenced the design and production of research and functioned as the interpretive focus. The study followed a multi method approach to understand meanings in context and to interpret these patterns in light of broader contexts. We employed the following multiple methods to generate a credible account of constituent ideologies: 23 semi-structured interviews, document review, and observational data. Data reveal fundamental differences in the images of five constituencies in these areas: curriculum, teachers, pupils, and teacher education and support the micropolitical assertion that systemic reform is unobtainable.

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