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Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center (2019)

Chapter: Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
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Appendix E

Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

BRETT MOULDING (Cochair) is the director of the Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning. He was the state of Utah science education specialist and coordinator of curriculum from 1993 to 2004 and then director of curriculum and instruction until 2008. He taught chemistry for 20 years at Roy High School in the Weber District Science and served as the district teacher leader for 8 years. He also served on the board of the Triangle Coalition, the National Assessment of Educational Progress 2009 Framework Committee, and as president of the Council of State Science Supervisors from 2003–2006. He has received the Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the Award of Excellence from the Governor’s Science and Technology Commission, and the National Science Teachers Association’s Distinguished Service to Science Education Award. He served on the the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s committee that developed the Framework for K–12 Science Education, as well as on three committees related to education at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He was a member of the Board on Science Education from 2005–2011. He was a lead writers on the Next Generation Science Standards and currently provides professional development for teachers throughout the nation. He graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with minors in biology, math, and physics. He also has a master’s degree in education from Weber State University and an administrative supervisory certificate from Utah State University.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

NANCY SONGER (Cochair) is the dean and distinguished university professor in the School of Education at Drexel University. Prior to this, she was a professor of science education and learning technologies at the University of Michigan for 18 years and the director of the Center for Essential Science. Her areas of expertise include STEM education, urban education, and educational assessment, and her research focuses on the design of education innovations for promoting critical thinking in science, environmental awareness, increased interactivity, and participation in science careers. She is renowned for her research on how to engage and support complex scientific reasoning among students ranging from elementary to high school ages. Her scholarship has received frequent recognition, including a Presidential Faculty Fellowship awarded by President Clinton. Songer is now leading urban STEM initiatives investigating new definitions of public school-university partnerships with several West Philadelphia public schools within the Drexel University School of Education’s neighborhood. She served on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on a Framework for Assessment of Science Proficiency in K–12. Songer earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Berkeley, master’s degree in developmental biology from Tufts University, and doctorate degree in science education and learning technologies from the University of California, Davis.

JUAN-CARLOS AGUILAR is the director of innovated programs and research at the Georgia Department of Education. He serves as liaison between the department and science organizations, and with the Georgia University System in science. He serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers and board of advisors for Valdosta STEAM. He served as the Department of Education science program manager for 9 years, when he oversaw state policy in science education, coordinated K–12 science curriculum development, co-directed Georgia’s K–12 STEM initiative, and supervised the alignment of state assessments with the Georgia Performance Standards for science. He led the revision and adoption of the new Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science. He is the past president of the Council of State Science Supervisors. He is an advisor for the NIH SEPA 2015 Emory grant titled Experiential Citizen Science Training for the Next Generation. He previously taught, including 10 years as a science and mathematics teacher at a Spanish-immersion middle school and 5 years as a high school physics teacher, both in Fayette County, Georgia. He also taught science and mathematics for 4 years at a high school in Guatemala City. He has a Licenciature in Physics from the University Del Valle of Guatemala. He received a principal certification from Morehead State University, an M.S. in physics from the University of Louisville, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Kentucky.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

ANNE EGGER is an associate professor at Central Washington University (CWU), where she has a joint appointment in Geological Sciences and Science Education. She has served as director of the office of undergraduate research at CWU and as president of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). Through NAGT and other projects, she has led numerous professional development workshops on building skills in teaching through active learning. As an author, editor, and co-project director for Visionlearning, Egger develops freely available, Web-based, peer-reviewed readings for learning about science. Additionally, she is involved in developing rigorously tested curricular materials that integrate geoscience and societal issues across the curriculum at the undergraduate level. She has conducted research on how prepared future teachers are to teach about the sustainability concepts of the NGSS, and on the mismatch between introductory college earth science courses taken by future teachers and the material they will be expected to teach in their own classrooms. Prior to her appointment at CWU, she was a lecturer and undergraduate program coordinator in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in geology and geophysics from Yale University and a master’s degree and doctorate in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University.

ERIN MARIE FURTAK is professor of science education and associate dean of faculty in the school of education at the University of Colorado Boulder. Previously, she was a public high school biology and earth science teacher. Her current research focuses on how to support secondary science teachers in improving formative assessment practices. She was principal investigator for a CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate how a long-term professional development program centered on a learning progression for natural selection supported high school teachers in iteratively designing, enacting, and revising formative assessments. Recently, she has extended this work in a long-term research-practice partnership supporting formative assessment design with high school physics, chemistry, and biology teachers in a large school district. She received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2011 and the German Chancellor Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in 2006. She is involved in professional development partnerships with school districts and organizations within Colorado and across the United States. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental, population, and organismic biology from the University of Colorado Boulder, a master’s degree in education from the University of Denver, and a doctorate in science education from Stanford University.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

KENNETH L. HUFF is a National Board Certified Teacher in early adolescence science and a middle school teacher in the Williamsville Central School District in Williamsville, New York. He is a member of the New York State Education Department’s Science Education Steering Committee, and he founded and leads a Young Astronaut Council for 5th- through 8th-grade students at his school. He is also a National STEM Teacher Ambassador, president-elect of the Science Teachers Association of New York State, and member of the National Science Education Leadership Association Professional Development Committee. He is past president of the Association of Presidential Awardees in Science Teaching, served as a member of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Board of Directors-Division Director Middle Level Science Teaching; co-chaired the Teacher Advisory Council of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and was a member of the writing team for the Next Generation Science Standards. His awards include the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award, NSTA Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award, Educator Achievement Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and National Congress on Aviation and Space Education Crown Circle for Aerospace Education Leadership Award. He earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

JOSEPH KRAJCIK is Lappan-Phillips professor of science education and director of the CREATE for STEM Institute. Previously, he taught high school chemistry and physical science in Milwaukee for 8 years, and taught at the University of Michigan for 21 years. His expertise includes curriculum and instruction; science education; and teacher education, learning, and policy. He works with science teachers to reform teaching practices to promote students’ engagement in and learning of science. He is currently principal investigator and co-principal investigator for two National Science Foundation grants to design, develop, and test middle school assessments and curriculum materials aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. He served as lead writer for developing NGSS Physical Science Standards and lead writer for the Physical Science Design team that developed the Framework for K–12 Science Education. He was co-editor of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching and has authored and coauthored curriculum materials, books, software, and manuscripts. He held a distinguished professorship from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul and guest professorship from Beijing Normal University. He has presented on reforming science education in Chile, Singapore, China, Thailand, Brazil, and South Korea. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; and was president of the National Association for

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

Research in Science Teaching, from which he received the Distinguished Contributions to Science Education Through Research Award. He earned a doctorate in science education from the University of Iowa.

MICHAEL LACH is the director of STEM education policy and strategic initiatives at UChicago STEM Education at the University of Chicago, where he conducts research and provides technical assistance on large-scale improvements in U.S. mathematics and science education. Previously, he led science and mathematics education efforts at the U.S. Department of Education. He taught high school biology and general science at Alceé Fortier Senior High School in New Orleans as a charter member of Teach For America. He then joined the national office of Teach For America as director of program design. He returned to the classroom in New York City and Chicago. He was named one of Radio Shack’s Top 100 Technology Teachers, earned National Board Certification, and was Illinois Physics Teacher of the Year. He served as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow and was lead curriculum developer for the Investigations in Environmental Science curriculum developed at Northwestern University. As a Chicago Public Schools administrator, he led instructional improvement efforts in science and mathematics between 2003 and 2009, ultimately becoming chief officer of teaching and learning. He is a former members of the Board on Science Education and has served on multiple National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committees. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Carleton College, master’s degrees from Columbia University and Northeastern Illinois University, and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

RONALD LATANISION (NAE) is a senior fellow at Exponent, Inc. and an emeritus professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At MIT, he held joint faculty appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Nuclear Engineering. He directed the School of Engineering’s Materials Processing Center from 1985 to 1991. He is a fellow of ASM International, NACE International, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research interests are focused largely in the areas of materials processing and corrosion of metals and other materials in aqueous environments. He has served as a science advisor to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board and was reappointed by President Barack Obama. He chaired the Council on Primary and Secondary Education at MIT, founded the MIT Science and Engineering Program for High School Teachers, and cochaired the Network of Educators in Science and Technology. He was a co-principal investigator of Project PALMS, a

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

National Science Foundation-sponsored educational reform initiative in Massachusetts. Over the past 30 years, he served on over 20 technical and education-related National Academies committees. In 2011, he was named editor-in-chief of the NAE quarterly, The Bridge. He received a B.S. in metallurgy from The Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from Ohio State University.

MITCHELL NATHAN is Vilas distinguished achievement professor of educational psychology in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Additionally, he directs the Center on Education and Work; directs the IES Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Mathematical Thinking, Learning, and Instruction; and holds faculty appointments in several other university departments. He is a member of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Cognitive Science Cluster and an affiliate of the interdisciplinary program in learning, understanding, cognition, intelligence, and data science. He uses experimental design and video-based discourse analysis methods to study learning and teaching. He investigates the role of prior knowledge and invented strategies in the development of algebraic thinking and the notion of Expert Blind Spot to explain teachers’ instructional decision making, and how teachers use gestures, embodiment, and objects to convey abstract ideas during STEM instruction. He is on the editorial boards of several journals and advisory board for The INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering at Purdue. He is principal researcher for projects funded by the National Science Foundation, Institute for Education Sciences, and National Institutes of Health and served on several National Academies committees. He earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering, mathematics, and history from Carnegie Mellon and a doctorate in cognitive psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder.

EILEEN PARSONS is a professor of science education in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She studies the influences of sociocultural factors, specifically race and culture, on learning in science and participation in STEM. Her research uses primarily, but not exclusively, qualitative methods to investigate the cultural and racial responsiveness of practices with respect to African American students in K–12 learning environments, with a focus on middle school. Additionally, she studies cultural and racial inclusiveness for traditionally underrepresented students of color in undergraduate STEM. She has served on several editorial boards for science education research journals including associate editor of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching and section editor for Science Education. Additionally, she served on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Research in Science

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

Teaching and the Association for Science Teacher Education. As a science policy fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, she worked on the congressionally mandated strategic plan for STEM Education. She taught high school science and math; instructed elementary, middle school, and high school science methods courses in undergraduate and master’s teacher preparation programs; coached lateral-entry teachers; and facilitated the professional development of practicing teachers. She earned a bachelor’s degree in science teaching (chemistry) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her master’s and doctorate degrees in science education are from Cornell University.

CYNTHIA PASSMORE is a professor specializing in science education in the School of Education at the University of California, Davis. Her areas of expertise include models and modeling in student learning, curriculum design, and teacher professional development. As part of the Sacramento Area Science Project—an education partnership between the University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento—she has focused on investigating model-based reasoning in a range of contexts and is particularly interested in understanding how the design of learning environments interacts with students’ reasoning practices. She is a member of the American Educational Research Association, National Association for Research in Science Teaching, National Science Teachers Association, and Association for the Education of Teachers of Science. She earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin. Prior to her doctoral studies, she was a high school science teacher.

HELEN QUINN (NAS) is professor emerita of particle physics and astrophysics at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University. Previously, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Deutsche Elektronen-Synchrotron in Germany, taught high school physics, and was on the staff and faculty of Harvard University. Her research focused on theoretical particle physics with an emphasis on phenomenology of the weak interactions, and her work with Robert Peccei resulted in what is now called the Peccei-Quinn symmetry. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2003 and was president of the American Physical Society in 2004. Her involvement in science education includes contributing to the California State Science Standards development process. She chaired the Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K–12 Science Education Standards and served on other National Academies’ committees focused on physics and space, and on science education. She was a member of the Board on Science Education from 2005–2009 and its chair from 2009–2014. Additionally, she has taught and done outreach to encourage interest in physics. She was awarded the Karl Taylor Compton Medal for

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

Leadership in Physics by the American Institute of Physics in 2016. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and a doctorate in elementary particle physics from Stanford University.

ANDREA TRACY is assistant principal at Lawton High school in Lawton, Oklahoma. Prior to that, she taught biology, physical science, and AP physics at MacArthur High School, also in Lawton. She has an extensive background in middle school science teaching, curriculum development, and assessment. Previously, she was an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix-Okinawa, Japan, where she held an appointment in the Masters of Education in Teaching Department, specializing in teaching and professional development. She is a member of the National Science Teachers Association and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She did the course work for a master’s degree in teaching from Hamline University, holds an Oklahoma School Principal certification, and is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in educational leadership and management at Capella University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and a master’s degree in education administration from Lamar University.

STAFF BIOS

KERRY BRENNER (Study Director) is a senior program officer for the Board on Science Education. She was the study director for the 2017 consensus report Undergraduate Research for STEM Students: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities and the 2017 workshop on service learning in undergraduate geosciences education. She is the director of the Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education. She previously worked for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Board on Life Sciences, serving as the study director for the project that produced Bio2010: Transforming Undergraduate Biology Education for Future Research Biologists. As an outgrowth of that study, she participated in the founding of the National Academies Summer Institutes for Undergraduate Education. Along with other projects, she has led a standing committee for the U.S. Department of Defense on Medical Technologies, multiple studies related to microbiology and biosecurity, and one on the decision-making process for reopening facilities contaminated in biological attacks. She earned her bachelors’ degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and her Ph.D. in molecular biology from Princeton University.

JESSICA COVINGTON is a senior program assistant with the Board on Science Education and is currently supporting the American’s Lab Report

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

Update and Citizen Science projects. Before joining the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, she was the administrative assistant to an architectural and interior design firm in Metro Center called VOA Associates, which is now known as Stantec Consulting. In 2015, she received her undergraduate degree in psychology.

GREG PEARSON is a scholar with the National Academy of Engineering. He currently serves as the responsible staff officer for a National Science Foundation-funded project examining issues related to capacity building for K–12 engineering educators in the United States. He also directs the Chevron-funded LinkEngineering online resource that is helping guide implementation of PreK–12 engineering education in the United States. Previously, he has overseen projects addressing postsecondary engineering technology education; STEM integration in K–12 education; standards for K–12 engineering education; the status and prospects for engineering in K–12 education; new messaging for the field of engineering (Changing the Conversation); technological literacy; and content standards for the field of technology education. He has degrees in biology and journalism.

AMY STEPHENS is a program officer for the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She is also an adjunct professor for the Southern New Hampshire University Psychology Department, teaching graduate-level online courses in cognitive psychology and statistics. She was the study director for the recent report English Learners in STEM Subjects: Transforming Classrooms, Schools, and Lives and for the workshop on Graduate Training in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. She has an extensive background in behavioral and functional neuroimaging techniques and has examined a variety of different populations spanning childhood through adulthood. She has worked at the Center for Talented Youth on producing cognitive profiles of academically talented youth in an effort to develop alternative methods for identifying such students from underresourced populations. Additionally, she has explored the effects of spatial skill training on performance in math and science classes as well as overall retention rates within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related fields for students entering the engineering program at the Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University.

HEIDI SCHWEINGRUBER is the director of the Board on Science Education at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She has served as study director or costudy director for a wide range of studies, including those on revising national standards for K–12 science education, learning and teaching science in grades K–8, and mathematics learning in

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×

early childhood. She also co-authored two award-winning books for practitioners that translate findings of National Academies’ reports for a broader audience, on using research in K–8 science classrooms and on information science education. Prior to joining the National Academies, she worked as a senior research associate at the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education. She also previously served on the faculty of Rice University and as the director of research for the Rice University School Mathematics Project, an outreach program in K–12 mathematics education. She has a Ph.D. in psychology (developmental) and anthropology and a certificate in culture and cognition, both from the University of Michigan.

TIFFANY TAYLOR is a research associate for the Board on Science Education (BOSE) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Prior to this position, she was a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academies. As a Mirzayan Fellow, she also worked with BOSE providing research support across various projects. In addition to her commitment to academic research, she is concerned about the legacy of science education and its inclusion of persons of diverse backgrounds. Throughout her graduate tenure, she tutored and mentored underserved youths to encourage their pursuit of studies and careers in STEM. As a member of the Graduate Student Association Lobby Corps, she advocated for state support to accommodate recruitment and retention of renowned faculty, and support for building infrastructure and maintenance. She received a doctorate degree in biomedical sciences from the University of California, San Diego.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25216.
×
Page 312
Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center Get This Book
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It is essential for today's students to learn about science and engineering in order to make sense of the world around them and participate as informed members of a democratic society. The skills and ways of thinking that are developed and honed through engaging in scientific and engineering endeavors can be used to engage with evidence in making personal decisions, to participate responsibly in civic life, and to improve and maintain the health of the environment, as well as to prepare for careers that use science and technology.

The majority of Americans learn most of what they know about science and engineering as middle and high school students. During these years of rapid change for students' knowledge, attitudes, and interests, they can be engaged in learning science and engineering through schoolwork that piques their curiosity about the phenomena around them in ways that are relevant to their local surroundings and to their culture. Many decades of education research provide strong evidence for effective practices in teaching and learning of science and engineering. One of the effective practices that helps students learn is to engage in science investigation and engineering design. Broad implementation of science investigation and engineering design and other evidence-based practices in middle and high schools can help address present-day and future national challenges, including broadening access to science and engineering for communities who have traditionally been underrepresented and improving students' educational and life experiences.

Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center revisits America's Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science in order to consider its discussion of laboratory experiences and teacher and school readiness in an updated context. It considers how to engage today's middle and high school students in doing science and engineering through an analysis of evidence and examples. This report provides guidance for teachers, administrators, creators of instructional resources, and leaders in teacher professional learning on how to support students as they make sense of phenomena, gather and analyze data/information, construct explanations and design solutions, and communicate reasoning to self and others during science investigation and engineering design. It also provides guidance to help educators get started with designing, implementing, and assessing investigation and design.

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