Practice Brief 13 -- Topics: Implementation

Professional Development that Supports Teacher Learning about the New Vision for Science Education

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Why It Matters To You
  • Teachers should collaborate to analyze student work samples and video of their own teaching in ways that connect PD experiences with their classroom teaching.
  • District staff & PD providers should provide sustained and responsive PD opportunities that focus on teachers' collaborative analysis of classroom instruction.
  • School leaders should support schedules that allow for teachers to meet and discuss instructional practice in science.

What Is The Issue?

The new vision for K-12 science education expects learners to engage deeply with science and engineering practices to develop and apply conceptual ideas. This strong connection between practices, cross-cutting concepts, and core ideas in science and engineering is different from previous science standards. This requires teachers to shift classroom instruction. Carefully designing professional development (PD) opportunities plays a large role in supporting educators' learning about this new vision and how it can look in their unique classrooms.

Authors:

BY CHRISTIE BARCHENGER & TANA PETERMAN - APRIL 2015


Reflection Questions

  • What is at the 'center' of PD that you facilitate? How might PD for the new vision for science ed look similar or different?
  • How have you elicited feedback from teachers about previous PD? If new PD needs to be responsive to emergent problems of practice, how can you allow for that?
  • How does your PD support sustained teacher collaboration?

Things to Consider

Attending to Equity

Recommended Actions You Can Take



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