[Osta-board] Fwd: Science Framework and Next Generation Science Standards Update

[bcarlsen]

Here's the latest from NSTA regarding the Next Generation Science Standards:

NSTA Recommendations to Achieve for NGSS
Last summer NSTA assembled a team of experts to help us fully explore  
the draft Framework for K-12 Science Education and hone in on areas we  
felt needed improvement. These recommendations were provided to NRC.  
We reconvened the team a second time following the release of the  
final framework in July. Their task was to take an in-depth look at  
the final document to determine any weaknesses and deficiencies in  
general, and to consider the previous recommendations made to NRC and  
identify areas we thought needed further interpretation and direction.  
  The team, comprised of Cindy Workosky, Harold Pratt, Susan Koba,  
Mike Padilla, JoAnne Vasquez, and Ted Willard, had numerous  
discussions about the Framework. The team collectively agreed on 9  
recommendations it felt strongly Achieve should consider and  
incorporate when drafting new science standards. The list of  
recommendations is attached. It is our hope that Achieve will consider  
and embrace these recommendations as it works to develop and draft new  
standards. An article by Francis that summarizes the recommendations  
will appear in the November issue of NSTA Reports.

NSTA Resources
While the first draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)  
will not appear for many months, it is a valuable time for science  
educators to fully examine the Framework and explore in depth the  
concepts and ideas on which new standards will be built. NSTA has a  
number of activities, resources and materials currently in development  
to help science educators explore the Framework in great depth and  
address the possible implications of Next Generation Science Standards  
on science teaching. Some of these resources include the following:

·         NSTA Journal Series--A special series of articles focusing  
on the Framework will appear in upcoming NSTA journals. The first  
article by Rodger Bybee will address science and engineering practices  
and will appear in December. Other authors include Cary Sneider, Rick  
Duschl and Joe Krajcik who will explore other dimensions of the  
Framework.

·         Reader’s Guide--An NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Science  
Framework written by Harold Pratt is now in development. The Guide  
will be published online as an eBook and will appear as an insert in  
the January issues of NSTA journals.

·         Web Seminars—Join us today, October 25 (6:30-8 pm Eastern),  
for a web seminar exploring science and engineering practices.  
Participants include Dr. Brian Reiser, a member of the NRC committee  
that authored the Framework, as well as Harold Pratt and myself. To  
register, go to  
http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/nsta/webseminar4.aspx.

·         Conferences--Sessions on the Framework and NGSS will be  
presented at all three area conferences. Representatives from NRC will  
give an overview of the Framework, Harold Pratt and I will explore the  
three dimensions of the Framework, and Stephen Pruitt will give a  
featured presentation addressing the standards development process. Be  
sure to check times and locations in the conference programs.

All these resources, and more, can/will be found on the NSTA webpage  
www.nsta.org/ngss.