Report Calls for Broad Changes in Science Education

[alp227]

Source: NYT

Worried that public schools are failing to prepare students for a complex and changing world, educators unveiled new guidelines Tuesday that call for sweeping changes in the way science is taught in the United States, emphasizing hands-on learning and critical scrutiny of scientific evidence.

Among many other changes, the guidelines call for introducing climate science into the curriculum starting in middle school, and teaching high school students in detail about the effects of human activity on climate.

The guidelines also take a firm stand that children must learn about evolution, the central organizing idea in the biological sciences for more than a century, but one that has rallied state lawmakers and some religious conservatives to insist that alternative notions like intelligent design be taught.

Though they could become a focus of political controversy, the climate and evolution standards are just two aspects of a set of guidelines containing hundreds of new ideas.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/science/panel-calls-for-broad-changes-in-science-education.html

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I wonder how many "patriotic Americans" will promote teaching junk science i.e. intelligent design or climate change denial in public schools, despite America getting its ass WHOOPED in worldwide scientific literacy.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Science needs to be taught in Kindergarten

In other countries, children know so much about science in their elementary years. They are lucky if they learn any science n 5th grade here.

[msongs]

2. replace all science texts with bibles and korans. that oughta do it :-) nt

[drm604]

3. I was in school during the space race.

After Sputnik there was a huge push for science education in the schools. Somehow we've backed away from that.

[Gore1FL]

6. After we went to the moon we got lazy.

Then we elected Reagan, who promised us we could just coast.

[bobclark86]

13. It was "too expensive,"

and people like that B-movie actor from "Bedtime for Bonzo" got elected...

[gadjitfreek]

4. Great idea. So is Common Core. Problem is...

...there is no professional development and districts cannot afford the costs of implementing the increasing burden of unfunded mandates. Right now curricula are moving in a thousand different directions and none of them are being effectively communicated to the teachers who have to implement these programs. It's a nightmare in the ed biz right now. I discourage anyone who wants to get into education as the environment is highly toxic just now.

[xtraxritical]

14. This, and there is a scarcity of reliable text books, especially in Kansas and Texas.

It must be awful to be a teacher in this environment.

[Moostache]

5. About damn time...

The last time Americans got really serious about science education was in the 1950's as a response to worrying about the godless heathen Commies...

I do not care what the rationale is, the fact is that science education in the USA is atrociously bad and shallow. You really have to get a BS degree in a science to even have ADEQUATE exposure to the scientific method and actual experimental science. Those who would push for "alternative theories", be my guest to get published in real peer reviewed journals or go preach in Sunday school or philosophy courses where speculative thought exercises belong.

I am all for well-rounded education, but put science in science curricula and put the religion in a mandatory, annual comparative religion subject...of course, for the born-again crowd that is just as intolerable as not allowing them to teach BULLSHIT in science classes! If you would not be willing to extend the teaching of origins to include EVERYONE ELSE'S myths alongside your own chosen favorite, then you have no compelling case and should be laughed off.

[Zoeisright]

7. This country is going to be falling further and further behind

as other, enlightened countries, who understand the importance of science, continue to teach their children about it. While here, repukes and bible nuts are trying to take us back to the dark ages.

[Iliyah]

8. No more evolution. Replace science with

aliens or "intelligent design". Not the psycho christian version but the scientific version. Mormons believe that their GAWD lives on a distant planet. Scientology, and and now some Christians believe that GAWD brought sub-humans out of the darkness by giving them "language" which must have occurred approx. 10,000 years ago. Thats the only dna that is totally out of place in earth's evolution. I tend to believe "we are not alone" but also tend to believe it took a hell of a long time for humans to evolve.

[salib]

9. Just like when I first heard about Obama

I smell something here.

Is this the trojan horse that will "bring the liberals along" on the larger plan of privatizing education?

[DreamGypsy]

11. No, NGSS is a serious program to change public K-12 science education.

All the info is at Next Generation Science Standards: http://www.nextgenscience.org/

Next Generation Science Standards for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Workforce: Through a collaborative, state-led process managed by Achieve, new K–12 science standards are being developed that will be rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education. The NGSS will be based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education developed by the National Research Council.

During the Next Generation Science Standards development process, 26 states will provide leadership to the writers and to other states as they consider adoption of the NGSS, and address common issues involved in adoption and implementation of the standards.



Here's how my state (Oregon) participated in the NGSS effort:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Rudy Crew

Primary Point of Contact: Cheryl Kleckner— State Science Supervisor

Organizations: STEM Advisory Council; Center for Science Education at Portland State University; Oregon University System; Oregon STEM Education Initiative; Oregon Science Teachers Association; Oregon Coast Aquarium; Oregon Museum of Science and Industry; Oregon Forestry Resources Institute.

Background: In order to graduate from an Oregon public high school a student must complete three credits in science, two of which must provide laboratory experiences. Oregon’s 2009 Science Content Standards require science classes to be “inquiry-based”, which emphasizes that students’ conclusions and explanations be supported through scientific reasoning and critical thinking found through personal investigations. Oregon standards are organized by four core standards per grade level: 1) Structure and Function; 2) Interaction and Change; 3) Scientific Inquiry; and 4) Engineering Design. The first two standards describe the big ideas of the three science disciplines (physical, life, and Earth and space) whereas standards three and four focus on the process skills and the nature and practice of science and engineering design which are intertwined within the three discipline areas. Students are assessed in science through the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) in grades 5, 8, and 11. The current Oregon Science Content Standards were most recently revised in 2009 and are being fully assessed in the 2011-12 school year. The current standards are tied closely with the NRC’s Framework for K–12 Science Education, and therefore are well positioned to transfer to the NGSS.

Commitment: Oregon has shown a strong commitment to standards based learning through its adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and its position as a governing state of SMARTER Balanced. Oregon’s current standards are based off the research that helped to develop the NRC framework, and therefore it is familiar with and committed to the content of the NGSS. Since the framework is similar to the Oregon standards, Oregon believes its participation in the development of the NGSS will help to bring interest to Oregon’s vision for science education, and provide national support for moving this vision forward.

STEM Involvement: Oregon has a STEM Advisory Council that helped draft the state’s STEM Education Initiative and is supporting the development of regional STEM Education Centers in order to promote STEM education statewide. These programs will help to provide support to schools in developing and improving STEM education. These Centers will also play a part in the NGSS development work and will be essential in promoting and providing support for NGSS implementation.

Alliances and Infrastructure: Oregon has many organizations that work with the state to advance and promote science education. In addition to the STEM resources mentioned above, Oregon has a science content and assessment panel that developed the 2009 science standards and created state science assessments. Oregon additionally has networks within districts which focus on professional development in science education, which will serve useful for NGSS implementation. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is actively involved with its post-secondary institutions and business and industry professionals which help to advance science education, jobs, and STEM initiatives. The ODE also works closely with the Center for Science Education at Portland State University, members of which have helped to create the 2009 standards and one of which is currently serving on the NGSS Writing Team. This integral relationship will help the state with implementation efforts, and STEM education support statewide. As the NGSS work continues the Oregon Department of Education and its networks will continue to play an integral part in promoting and supporting science education statewide.

[DreamGypsy]

10. The Next Generation Science Standards documents are available...

... a pdfs here: http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

The proposals are for K-12 education.

The NGSS Front Matter (14 pages) contains an Executive Summary, Introduction, and a list/description of the other NGSS documents that have already been released or are planned for future release.

I also looked at (and plan to read) APPENDIX F Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS (33 pages) which discusses the teaching and learning of scientific methodology.

Great stuff. Needs to be made real.

Thanks for the post, A227.

[Auntie Bush]

12. No way science and evolution and critical thinking will be adopted in many southern states.

They are culturally against it...even asked for curriculum which DOESN'T encourage critical thinking so they will be subject to propaganda. Fools!

[Bandit]

15. I guess it all depends upon what is in the test they have to teach toward.

If all "teachers" are doing now is teaching to the test, I find it hard to believe that is going to change anytime soon..

[One_Life_To_Give]

16. traditional classes like biology and chemistry may disappear entirely from high schools

traditional classes like biology and chemistry may disappear entirely from high schools

And this is a good thing? Toss around a couple of buzzwords and everyone is supposed to assume the rest?
Sounds like bull-shit. Yes we need better science prep at the Primary School level. Climate science is a good tool. But basic biology and scientific skills forces the teaching of evolution anyway. It's a basic process, not a science unto itself.