skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: Toolkit to support preservice teacher dialogue for planning NGSS three-dimensional lessons
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) on which they are based, require a shift in preservice science teacher preparation. NGSS aligned instruction calls to engage learners in the use of authentic science and engineering practices (SEPs) and crosscutting concepts (CCCs) to develop understanding of disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) within the context of a scientific phenomenon (Bybee, 2014; NRC, 2015). To ensure beginning teachers are prepared for this shift, university programs are changing teacher preparation to meet this new vision. This happens primarily in science methods courses where specific supports must be in place to prepare preservice teachers and facilitate course reforms (Bybee, 2014; Krajcik, McNeill, & Reiser, 2008). This paper describes the Next Generation Alliance for Science Educators Toolkit (Next Gen ASET) that was designed to support shifting instructional needs within science methods courses to align with the vision of the NGSS. While not meant to replace existing methods course curriculum, this toolkit promotes dialogue explicit to the vision of the NGSS. Two teaching scenarios demonstrate how the Next Gen ASET Toolkit has been implemented in science methods courses, illustrating its flexibility of and how they accommodate the inclusion of various lesson planning and instructional styles.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1908900
PAR ID:
10329502
Author(s) / Creator(s):
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Innovations
Volume:
3
Issue:
4
ISSN:
2472-2553
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. (, Journal of college science teaching)
    The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) on which they are based, describe a new vision for science education that includes having students learn science in a way that more closely aligns to how scientists and engineers work and think. Accomplishing this goal will require teacher educators to make important shifts in the ways they prepare future science teachers (NRC, 2012). Many science teaching methods courses are being reformed to better support future science teachers to meet the ambitious goals of the NGSS. Specifically, these reform efforts require evidence-based and standards-aligned tools to help preservice teachers align instruction with the new science standards. This study utilized the methodology of Improvement Science “Plan, Do Study, Act” cycles in order to design a Three-Dimensional Mapping Tool (3D Map) as a visual scaffold for use in science teaching methods courses to support preservice teachers in unpacking the components of NGSS and to promote discourse related to the three-dimensionality of planning instruction. The 3D Map provides a visualization of key elements of the NGSS, while being flexible enough to accommodate established teaching strategies. 
    more » « less
  2. (, Annual meeting program American Educational Research Association)
    Preservice science courses typically demonstrate valuable semester impacts on preservice teachers, but less is known about how such courses impact future teacher practice. Using the theory of planned behavior, this study investigates how an undergraduate Physical Science course, focused on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), influences elementary teachers’ longer-term intentions to teach Physical Science. Data sources include a questionnaire with credential-candidate teachers (n=31), who completed a Physical Science course as undergraduates, and interviews with teacher educators, professional development providers, and practicing elementary teachers (n=9). Findings illustrate that credential-candidate teachers did not teach Physical Science during their teaching placements. Such findings were further supported by stakeholders. We detail strategies that could support elementary teachers’ teaching of Physical Science. 
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; ; (, Journal of Science Teacher Education)
    The adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require significant shifts in how K-12 science teachers implement instruction and in the ways that science teacher educators prepare future science teachers. The use of anchoring phenomena to drive instruction is one of these significant shifts. However, identifying phenomena that anchor K-12 student learning and support students in developing conceptual understanding while aligning with the NGSS Performance Expectations can be challenging for teachers, especially for preservice teachers (PSTs). This paper outlines the development and implementation of the ASET Phenomenon Tool (Phenomenon Tool) by a group of science education faculty in a networked improvement community (NIC). The Phenomenon Tool aims to help PSTs identify and evaluate student-centered NGSS phenomena. Based on data collected over five academic years, we have found that more PSTs were able to identify a phenomenon after the NIC faculty implemented the Phenomenon Tool in their science methods courses. In this paper, we also present the PSTs’ alternative concepts about phenomena and their weaknesses in describing phenomena. The strategies and possible activities for the use of the phenomenon tool with teachers are discussed at the end. 
    more » « less
  4. (, Conference of the Americas)
    Baldwin, Amy; Danns, Donna; Howe, Chad (Ed.)
    In this presentation, we will analyze and explain how three university faculty designed an intensive 12-day science methods course for preservice teachers to learn about science. The course, which is part of the Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Science for English Language Learners project funded by the National Science Foundation, is focused on differentiating science and engineering content for emerging bilingual students (English/Spanish). After the course, teacher educators then implement this content with 4th - 8th grade students in the STEM Summer Scholars Institute, a 15-day academic enrichment program for emerging bilingual students. Not only will we explain how this differentiation toolkit is helping preservice teachers to build more inclusive and supporting environments in science in their current practice, but we also explore how other content, such asco-teaching models and science and engineering methodologies, shaped their teaching skills. The differentiation toolkit consists of the use of technology, hands-on materials, and multimodalities, and we examine how the preservice teacher-students interactions are structured following a culturally and linguistically relevant methodology for the classroom. Project faculty and teacher educators will discuss our experiences in implementing these methodologies (science and culturally and linguistically relevant practices) including areas of growth. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, Science Education)
    Abstract The limited availability of research instruments that reflect the vision of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) restricts the field's understanding of whether and how teachers are making instructional shifts called for by the standards. The need for such instruments is particularly urgent with teachers of multilingual learners (MLs), who are called on to make shifts in how they think about and enact instruction related to both science and language. The purpose of this study was to develop and gather validity evidence for a questionnaire that measures elementary teachers' beliefs, preparedness, and instructional practices for teaching NGSS science with MLs. We report on the development of the questionnaire over three phases that elicited multiple sources of validity evidence: (a) domain specification and expert review, (b) item writing and cognitive interviews, and (c) piloting and final item selection. Data included feedback from experts in science and language domains, cognitive interviews with 48 teachers, and a pilot with 310 teachers. Results indicated that the questionnaire differentiates among teachers with different levels of the underlying constructs and also that teachers' scores relate to their characteristics (e.g., familiarity with the NGSS). We highlight two implications for emerging research on NGSS‐based instrumentation: (a) the difficulty of communicating with teachers about science and language instructional shifts while teachers are still developing their understanding of such shifts and (b) the potential of emerging NGSS‐based instruments to inform professional development. We close with future directions for our research project specifically and the field of science education broadly. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email