Practice Brief 4 -- Topics: Practices Instruction Implementation

Are there multiple instructional models that fit with the science and engineering practices in NGSS? (Short answer: Yes.)

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Why It Matters To You
  • Teachers should select instructional models for teaching the practices based on their commitments, preferences, and their local context.
  • District staff and PD providers should highlight for teachers that multiple instructional models can be used to implement the practices although PD may focus on a specific one.
  • School leaders should know what instructional models are used by their teachers and learn to recognize qualities of them within classroom.

What is the Issue?

The Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS) expect learners to engage in eight science and engineering practices in order to learn and apply conceptual ideas. People often assume that a particular instructional model is best for engaging students in the NGSS practices. In fact, there are multiple models that can be used effectively.

Authors:

PHILIP BELL AND ANDREW SHOUSE


Things to Think About

  • How satisfied are you with your current way of teaching science and engineering? How well does it engage students in the science and engineering practices?
  • What instructional models do you currently use? Which additional ones might be suitable for your context?
  • It is productive to take up small specific teaching practices that can be repeated and refined throughout your teaching. What teaching strategy might you want to focus on?

Things to Consider

Attending to Equity

Recommended Actions You Can Take



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