The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were developed
in response to the significant changes in STEM, STEM education, and the economy
in general within the past 15 years since the national standard were first
developed (p. xiv). The goal is to provide a foundation for curriculum,
assessment, and instruction to provide students with strong science skills to
meet the needs of a 21st century society. With the advances in
technology and the STEM fields, and their subsequent impacts on the economy, society,
and policy, it is important that science students obtain the necessary
knowledge and skills to not only make decisions about the future, but also to
impact the future through their own contributions and influences. The framework has been designed to promote critical
thinking and inquiry-based problem solving skills in k-12 STEM courses (pp.
xiv-xv).
With the increasing amount of science knowledge
becoming available, the new NGSS emphasize what students are expected to do as
the result of instruction rather than function as a curriculum and instruction
guide (p. xvi). By writing the standards as performance expectations that students
must meet rather than a limited focus on specific concepts or ideas provides
educators goals for the science classroom while providing more flexibility in
material and lesson presentation. In doing so, the content can presented in an
authentic context, providing the opportunity to reflect the practice of science
and engineering in the real world (p. xiii).
The new NGSS differs from the previous version in some
key areas. For example, students are expected to be engaged at the intersection
of science and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary
core ideas (p.1). Mastery and achievement is demonstrated through performance
expectations via understanding and application of content knowledge. This is different from the original standards
which had separated each in both curriculum and instruction and emphasized rote
memorization of facts without context (pp. 1-2). In addition, there is an
exerted effort to provide more coherence and focus as students’ progress
through k-12 science courses, aligned at each grade level to build towards a development
of understanding of core ideas by the time the student graduates high school. Each
grade level is responsible for preparing students for the next level, presenting
a smaller set of ideas with grade appropriate scientific literacy in mind (p.3).
As a results, the new standards look to promote a deeper understanding and
application of content rather than memorizing more facts. Furthermore, the new
NGSS differs from the previous version in that it also integrates engineering
and technology into scientific inquiry, addressing the lack of attention paid
to these fields in the past. The rationale is simple: science, engineering and
technology are necessary to meet and address world present and future societal
and global challenges and issues. Therefore, these new standards not only keep
student academic achievement in mind, but are designed to prepare students for
college courses, careers in STEM, as well as knowledge and problem solving
skills as citizens. They are more aligned with Common Core State Standards (in
ELA and Math) in order to help achieve these preparation goals (pp. 3-4).
NGSS
Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18290
I agree with you that the new standards look to promote deeper understanding and application of content rather than memorizing facts. The new standards also combine science and engineering practices which basically means they integrate the process skills with the content skills. I have always struggled to develop adequate lessons in which both the process skill and the content skills are addressed. It seems to be that my sixth grade students are afraid of inquiry. They are not always willing to run the risk of being wrong. Therefore, I find myself guiding them through an inquiry activity instead of letting them explore on their own. Do you have any recommendations on how I can get my students to be more involved in their own learning and apply more critical thinking skills?
ReplyDeleteIn your response to the question "Why new science standards?", you highlight a perspective that I did not sufficiently contemplate as I read through the standards with the intention of answering the same question. I like how you state that the nature of the new standards encourages educators to introduce content to students in a salient manner, serving to integrate the necessary component of engagement into the teacher's lesson. Along with the flexibility afforded by the new standards that you mention, this should provide educators with direction for their instruction that should result in an increase of the number of students entering into the STEM field for college and/or career.
ReplyDeleteOn a another note, I wonder if the decision makers in the accountability assessment (read: high-stakes testing) arena intend on trying to measure mastery of the types of performance expectations you mentioned. I know that the STAAR exam in Texas is supposed to be a step in this direction from the TAKS, but in my experience it seems to be a more feigned attempt than an authentically accurate assessment tool. How can a standardized test comprehensively measure both subject-specific content mastery as well as critical thinking and inquiry skills?
Martha,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that we do need to push science for the sake of our economy. During the house mortgage bubble collapse of 07 we had rampant unemployment except in the high tech fields and our country was handing out was (and still is) handing out work visas to foreigners who could fill those positions. I think the NGSS does a better job in the order of learning K-12 science to allow our science education to be more comprehensive learning practices like applying core knowledge to applications, while crossing other subject boundaries like math and literacy education.
Many of these STEM jobs are not accessible jobs straight from high school and do require a post-secondary education, certification, and hands on experience. Your computer controlled lathe operator, CNC plasma cutter programmer, network designers are not OTJ type jobs that do require a fair amount of science knowledge, programing knowledge, electronics, mechanical engineering, but do not require much more than a bachelors or equivalent to do these jobs. As jokes goes about robots are taking over your jobs, these are the jobs where you make, repair, and operate the robots. Gone are the days of the many auto workers who used to make 40+ a year doing a few non thinking working movements and now today is driven by the working thinker. Students need to learn this and understand this, because the world will leave them behind to a life of drudgery if they do not. I would suggest that all science learning blocks have a real world applicable angle so that students know why they learn science and why it is paramount that they become science literate 21 century citizens.
I am in awe at times when I sit down and read something new science or when I watch a really good science documentary. Why do you think many students are not capable of experiencing this when they are exposed to science education? How can we instill the wonders of science into our students?