Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards
Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-05-03

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 0309064767

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Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning scienceâ€"the "eyes glazed over" syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards is the book that educators have been waiting forâ€"a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand "why we can't teach the way we used to." "Inquiry" refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and in which students grasp science knowledge and the methods by which that knowledge is produced. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science. This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K-12 students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide. The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies. Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.

Knowing What Students Know
Knowing What Students Know

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2001-10-27

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 0309293227

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Education is a hot topic. From the stage of presidential debates to tonight's dinner table, it is an issue that most Americans are deeply concerned about. While there are many strategies for improving the educational process, we need a way to find out what works and what doesn't work as well. Educational assessment seeks to determine just how well students are learning and is an integral part of our quest for improved education. The nation is pinning greater expectations on educational assessment than ever before. We look to these assessment tools when documenting whether students and institutions are truly meeting education goals. But we must stop and ask a crucial question: What kind of assessment is most effective? At a time when traditional testing is subject to increasing criticism, research suggests that new, exciting approaches to assessment may be on the horizon. Advances in the sciences of how people learn and how to measure such learning offer the hope of developing new kinds of assessments-assessments that help students succeed in school by making as clear as possible the nature of their accomplishments and the progress of their learning. Knowing What Students Know essentially explains how expanding knowledge in the scientific fields of human learning and educational measurement can form the foundations of an improved approach to assessment. These advances suggest ways that the targets of assessment-what students know and how well they know it-as well as the methods used to make inferences about student learning can be made more valid and instructionally useful. Principles for designing and using these new kinds of assessments are presented, and examples are used to illustrate the principles. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also explored. With the promise of a productive research-based approach to assessment of student learning, Knowing What Students Know will be important to education administrators, assessment designers, teachers and teacher educators, and education advocates.

Making it tangible. Learning outcomes in science education
Making it tangible. Learning outcomes in science education

Author: Sascha Bernholt

Publisher: Waxmann Verlag

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 521

ISBN-13: 3830976445

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One of the central features in current educational reforms is a focus on learning outcomes. Many countries have established or revised standards to describe what teachers are supposed to teach and students are expected to learn. More recently, the emphasis has shifted to considerations of how standards can be operationalized in order to make the outcomes of educational efforts more tangible. This book is the result of a symposium held in Kiel, that was arranged by two science education groups, one at the IPN (Leibniz-Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Kiel) in Germany and the other at the University of York, UK. The seminar brought together renowned experts from 12 countries with different notions of the nature and quality of learning outcomes. The aim was to clarify central conceptions and approaches for a better understanding among the international science education community. The book is divided into five parts. In Part A, the organizers set the scene, describing the rationale for arranging the symposium. Part B provides a broad overview about different approaches, challenges, and pitfalls on the road to the clarification of meaningful and fruitful learning outcomes. The set of papers in Part C provides deep insights into different, although comparable approaches which aim to frame, to assess, and to promote learning and learning outcomes in science education. Smaller projects are presented as well as broad, coordinated national programs. The papers in Part D outline the individual historical development from different national perspectives, reflecting the deficits and problems that led to current reforms. Finally, a summary of the organizers analyses the conclusions from different vantage points.

Teaching and Learning STEM
Teaching and Learning STEM

Author: Richard M. Felder

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2024-03-19

Total Pages: 374

ISBN-13: 1394196342

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The widely used STEM education book, updated Teaching and Learning STEM: A Practical Guide covers teaching and learning issues unique to teaching in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Secondary and postsecondary instructors in STEM areas need to master specific skills, such as teaching problem-solving, which are not regularly addressed in other teaching and learning books. This book fills the gap, addressing, topics like learning objectives, course design, choosing a text, effective instruction, active learning, teaching with technology, and assessment—all from a STEM perspective. You’ll also gain the knowledge to implement learner-centered instruction, which has been shown to improve learning outcomes across disciplines. For this edition, chapters have been updated to reflect recent cognitive science and empirical educational research findings that inform STEM pedagogy. You’ll also find a new section on actively engaging students in synchronous and asynchronous online courses, and content has been substantially revised to reflect recent developments in instructional technology and online course development and delivery. Plan and deliver lessons that actively engage students—in person or online Assess students’ progress and help ensure retention of all concepts learned Help students develop skills in problem-solving, self-directed learning, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication Meet the learning needs of STEM students with diverse backgrounds and identities The strategies presented in Teaching and Learning STEM don’t require revolutionary time-intensive changes in your teaching, but rather a gradual integration of traditional and new methods. The result will be a marked improvement in your teaching and your students’ learning.

Responsive Teaching
Responsive Teaching

Author: Harry Fletcher-Wood

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-05-30

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1351583867

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This essential guide helps teachers refine their approach to fundamental challenges in the classroom. Based on research from cognitive science and formative assessment, it ensures teachers can offer all students the support and challenge they need – and can do so sustainably. Written by an experienced teacher and teacher educator, the book balances evidence-informed principles and practical suggestions. It contains: A detailed exploration of six core problems that all teachers face in planning lessons, assessing learning and responding to students Effective practical strategies to address each of these problems across a range of subjects Useful examples of each strategy in practice and accounts from teachers already using these approaches Checklists to apply each principle successfully and advice tailored to teachers with specific responsibilities. This innovative book is a valuable resource for new and experienced teachers alike who wish to become more responsive teachers. It offers the evidence, practical strategies and supportive advice needed to make sustainable, worthwhile changes.

Practical Work in Science
Practical Work in Science

Author: Brian Woolnough

Publisher:

Published: 1985

Total Pages: 86

ISBN-13: 9780521278614

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This book reviews the major science curriculum developments and the present position of practical work in secondary schools.

The Effective Teaching of Secondary Science
The Effective Teaching of Secondary Science

Author: John Parkinson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-06-03

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1317893719

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The Effective Teaching of Secondary Science encourages the trainee teacher to develop effective skills for teaching science to secondary school pupils. The comprehensive coverage of topics and issues provides good foundations for trainee teachers who are encouraged to test and evaluate different techniques. Practical advice is offered in areas such as lesson planning, the preparation of worksheets, planning practical activities and safety in the laboratory. The book also discusses the use of information technology as well as multicultural and gender issues and the teaching of pupils with special needs. Much of the work covered is undepinned by areas of educational research such as educational theory and psychology and sociology of education. Information on the requirements of the national curriculum and on post-16 science courses is given and includes a number of assessment techniques for the problematic area of assessing science attainment target 1.

Reading Science
Reading Science

Author: Jennifer L. Altieri

Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780325062587

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How can we prepare our students to think, read, and write like scientists? In Reading Science, Jennifer Altieri reminds us that literacy skills aren't add-ons to the science class-they are critical parts of instruction. She addresses the need for both literacy and science skills in our classrooms to prepare our students for the future challenges they will meet. Strategies you can use right away Filled with practical strategies customized for science classrooms based on Jennifer's decades of experience connecting content areas with literacy, this book supports: teaching students to be critical consumers of scientific information they read, regardless of the source or type of text developing students' interest in scientific vocabulary and rich understanding of how words relate to each other encouraging collaboration as students seek answers to scientific questions and communicate their findings. Science requires specialized literacy demands Our students should be prepared for not only the science class as we know it today but for future science classes and the world beyond. To create classrooms that support this kind of learning, we must use literacy as a tool to help students access science content, communicate their ideas precisely, and apply their discoveries in new contexts.