scholarly journals Questioning The Fidelity Of The Next Generation Science Standards For Astronomy And Space Sciences Education

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Stephanie J. Slater ◽  
Timothy F. Slater
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
The United States ◽  
Next Generation Science Standards ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Unexpected Finding ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Space Sciences

<p class="AbstractSummary">Although the <em>Next Generation Science Standards</em> (<em>NGSS</em>) are not federally mandated national standards or performance expectations for K-12 schools in the United States, they stand poised to become a de facto national science and education policy, as state governments, publishers of curriculum materials, and assessment providers across the country consider adopting them. In order to facilitate national buy-in and adoptions, <em>Achieve, Inc</em>., the non-profit corporation awarded the contract for writing the <em>NGSS</em>, has repeatedly asserted the development of the Standards to be a state-driven and transparent process, in which the scientific content is taken "verbatim", from the 2011 NRC report, <em>Frameworks for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas</em>. This paper reports on an independently conducted fidelity check within the content domain of astronomy and the space sciences, conducted to determine the extent to which the <em>NGSS </em>science content is guided by the <em>Frameworks</em>, and the extent to which any changes have altered the scientific intent of that document. The side-by-side, two-document comparative analysis indicates that the science of the <em>NGSS</em> is significantly different from the <em>Frameworks</em>. Further, the alterations in the science represent a lack of fidelity, in that they have altered the parameters of the science and the instructional exposure (e.g., timing and emphasis). As a result the <em>NGSS</em> are now poised to interfere with widely desired science education reform and improvement. This unexpected finding affords scientists, educators, and professional societies with an opportunity, if not a professional obligation, to engage in positively impacting the quality of science education by conducting independent fidelity checks across other disciplines. This could provide a much needed formal support and guidance to schools, teachers, curriculum developers, and assessment providers.</p>

scholarly journals Thinking about National Standards in Science Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 717-744
Author(s):  
Catherine Milne
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Next Generation Science Standards ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
The Us ◽  
History Of ◽  
Crisis Narratives ◽  
K 12

In this paper I present a critical reflection on the rationale and history of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which has sometimes been presented as the US version of a vision for a standardized science curriculum. I explore how the monograph, The Framework for K-12 Science Education, established the groundwork for the Next Generation Science Standards. I argue that crisis narratives often drive the arguments for standardization but in the US there was also an argument of the need to build a level of national uniformity in the content and practices that are presented to students as a tool for ensuring that children and youth have equitable access to important knowledge. However, at the same time educators have a responsibility for ensuring that homogenization achieved through standards does not enshrine the very inequities and ideologies public education seeks to change.

scholarly journals A Needs Assessment for the Adoption of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in K-12 Education in the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karleah Harris ◽  
Alec Sithole ◽  
Joachim Kibirige
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
The United States ◽  
Next Generation Science Standards ◽  
Classroom Technology ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Career Needs ◽  
K 12

Since its inception, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) blue print has attracted interest from more than 40 states in the United States. The overall objective of these proposed changes is to align K-12 science education with current trends in technology and career needs. However, the assessment of teacher preparedness and classroom technology needs is still a critical factor in the implementation of these changes. Our study conducted a needs and preparedness assessment using online surveys on public K-12 teachers before the implementation phase. The data collected for this study comprised 214 responses from schools in 16 states across the US. The study indicates that most of the teachers were not knowledgably equipped to fuse the proposed changes in standards with the current curricula and their teaching plans. The teachers made several suggestions, based on their views regarding the level of preparedness of their students. The implications of these findings and suggestions for further adjustments are presented and discussed.

THE NEW CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR ASTRONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES

2015 ◽  
pp. 131-151
Author(s):  
Sharon P. Schleigh ◽  
Stephanie J. Slater ◽  
Timothy F. Slater ◽  
Debra J. Stork
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Next Generation Science Standards ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Curriculum Standards ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
New Curriculum

Há um grande interesse em restringir a ampla gama e vasto domínio dos possíveis temas que poderiam ser ensinados sobre astronomia em uma estrutura gerenciável. Embora não haja nenhum currículo nacional obrigatório nos Estados Unidos, uma análise dos três esforços nacionais recentes para criar uma sequência apropriada de conceitos de astronomia por idade para serem ensinados nas escolas primárias e secundárias revela uma considerável falta de consenso a respeito de quais conceitos são mais apropriados para cada idade e quais tópicos devem ser cobertos. O esquema de padronização mais recente para a educação científica dos EUA, o Next Generation Science Standards (Padrões em Ciência: Nova Geração), sugere que a maioria dos conceitos de astronomia devem ser ensinados apenas nos últimos anos de educação do aluno; e no entanto  foi recebido com críticas consideráveis. Uma comparação dos esquemas de aprendizagem da astronomia nos Estados Unidos e uma breve discussão das críticas levantadas podem proporcionar aos educadores de astronomia internacionais dados de comparação na formulação de recomendações em suas próprias regiões.

Why Engaging in the Practices of Science Is Not Enough to Achieve Scientific Literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 370-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy R. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Next Generation Science Standards ◽  
Habits Of Mind ◽  
Science Standards ◽  
Effective Science ◽  
Culture Of Science ◽  
K 12

The National Research Council's Framework for K–12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards call for engaging students in the practices of science to develop scientific literacy. While these documents make the connections between scientific knowledge and practices explicit, very little attention is given to the shared values and commitments of the scientific community that underlie these practices and give them meaning. I argue that effective science education should engage students in the practices of science while also reflecting on the values, commitments, and habits of mind that have led to the practices of modern science and that give them meaning. The concept of methodological naturalism demonstrates the connection between the values and commitments of the culture of science and its practices and provides a useful lens for understanding the benefits and limitations of scientific knowledge.

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