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9 Conclusions, Recommendations, and Directions for Research
Pages 213-232

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From page 213...
... and A Framework for K-12 Science Education (hereafter referred to as the Framework) has evolved, it is one that engages students in learning scientific and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts.
From page 214...
... These trends are especially pronounced both for elementary school teachers and in schools that serve high percentages of low-income students, where teachers are often newer and less qualified. Although professional development is available to all teachers, the committee found no evidence that elementary, middle, and high school science teachers have adequately rigorous opportunities to learn content related to the courses they teach, the new vision of science education, or how to teach to that new vision in challenging and effective ways.
From page 215...
... Conclusion 4: Science teachers' learning needs are shaped by their prepa ration, the grades and content areas they teach, and the contexts in which they work. Three important areas in which science teachers need to develop expertise are • the knowledge, capacity, and skill required to support a diverse range of students; • content knowledge, including understanding of disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and scientific and engineering practices; and • pedagogical content knowledge for teaching science, including a reper toire of teaching practices that support students in rigorous and conse quential science learning.
From page 216...
... The knowledge demands of this new vision will require that the entire community -- science teachers, teacher educators, professional developers, and science education researchers, as well as institutions of higher education, cultural institutions, and industry all of which invest in professional development -- to create new, ongoing opportunities for teachers to rise to these new standards and to document what they learn from their efforts along the way. Conclusion 5: The best available evidence based on science professional development programs suggests that the following features of such programs are most effective: • active participation of teachers who engage in the analysis of examples of effective instruction and the analysis of student work, • a content focus, • alignment with district policies and practices, and • sufficient duration to allow repeated practice and/or reflection on class room experiences.
From page 217...
... While these areas have yet to be fully explored by teacher developers and science education researchers, the committee sees considerable potential for these resources as research accumulates concerning their effective use. Conclusion 7: Science teachers' professional learning occurs in a range of settings both within and outside of schools through a variety of structures (professional development programs, professional learning communities, coaching, and the like)
From page 218...
... A growing body of research documents the generative conditions established for teacher learning when schools foster collective responsibility for student learning and well-being. However, the evidence base related to learning opportunities for teachers in schools and classrooms is weak, especially with regard to science.
From page 219...
... Such leaders can guide school- or district-based professional learning communities, identify useful resources, and provide feedback to teachers as they modify their instructional practices. While little research exists on the effects of these leaders on teacher learning more generally, the committee sees these new roles as a potentially powerful mechanism for improving science teacher quality collectively.
From page 220...
... Opportunities are unevenly distributed across schools, districts, and regions, with little attention to sequencing or how to support science teachers' learning systematically. Moreover, schools and districts often lack systems that can provide a comprehensive view of teacher learning; identify specific teacher needs; or track investments -- in time, money and resources -- in science teachers' professional learning This is not a new observation, but it is a continuing problem.
From page 221...
... Indeed, a plan for acting on recommendations toward the goal of enhancing science teacher learning to meet student learning goals is needed, and that plan might entail acting on a small number of recommendations, ordered in a way that capitalizes on current practice and policy and accelerates change. In an ideal world, all these recommendations would be implemented.  But in the real and complex world of schooling, it is important to start with one recommendation, building momentum, and with a long term goal of acting on the full set.
From page 222...
... Plans to address any inequities across classrooms or schools should be developed with an eye toward policies and practices that will equitably distribute teacher expertise and teacher learning opportunities across the system. Recommendation 2: Design a portfolio of coherent learning experiences for science teachers that attend to teachers' individual and context-specific needs in partnership with professional networks, institutions of higher education, cultural institutions, and the broader scientific community as appropriate: Teachers and school and district administrators should articulate, implement, and support teacher learning opportunities in science as coherent, graduated sequences of experiences toward larger goals for improving science teaching and learning.
From page 223...
... Recommendation 3: Consider both specialized professional learning programs outside of school and opportunities for science teachers' learning embedded in the workday: A coherent, standards and evidence-based portfolio of professional learning opportunities for science teachers should include both specialized programs that occur outside of the school day and ongoing learning opportunities that are built into the workday and enhance capacity in schools and districts. Development of this portfolio will require some restructuring of teachers' work in schools to support new learning opportunities.
From page 224...
... District and state administrators should use (and make public) quality indicators to identify, endorse, and fund a portfolio of teacher learning opportunities, and should provide guidance for school leaders and teachers on how to select high-quality learning experiences in science appropriate to specific contexts.
From page 225...
... . Recommendation 6: Create, evaluate, and revise policies and practices that encourage teachers to engage in professional learning related to science: District and school administrators and relevant leaders should work to establish dedicated professional development time during the salaried work week and work year for science teachers.
From page 226...
... also has issued recommendations for a national indicator system that would make it possible to track improvement in STEM education reforms, covering domains of state policy, curriculum, accountability, and teacher quality, and the National Science Teachers Association has issued a number of relevant position statements on accountability, teacher preparation and induction, leadership, and professional development.1 As states, districts, and schools move forward with initiatives aimed at improving supports for science teachers' learning, they should leverage these and other relevant resources that have been developed by such national organizations as the National Science Teachers Association, the 1  See http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/#list [November 2015]
From page 227...
... And while the committee's recommendations focus on a set of strategic activities that schools and districts might undertake to make progress, the science teachers, scientists, science teacher educators, and professional development leaders who constitute the membership of these organizations can contribute much to an enriched understanding of how to support ongoing teacher learning. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH Considerable research exists, both in science education and in education more generally on which to draw, for insights into the wise development of policies, programs, and practices that will enhance teacher learning.
From page 228...
... . • Substantially less research exists on other, potentially equally important opportunities for science teacher learning, including professional learning communities, mentoring and coaching, online learning, teacher networks, and teacher evaluation.
From page 229...
... Such measures would enable a great deal of needed research. Research Recommendation 3: Design and Implement Research That Examines a Variety of Approaches to Supporting Science Teachers' Learning The committee urges a broad conceptualization of professional learning and thus research that examines how teachers learn from portfolios of learning opportunities, including both off-site and embedded professional development (e.g., study groups, professional learning communities, lesson study)
From page 230...
... Research Recommendation 4: Commit to Focusing on Meeting the Needs of Diverse Science Learners Across All Research on Professional Development The committee urges that research on science teacher learning focus on opportunities that help teachers meet the needs of diverse students while teaching to the standards. Accomplishing this goal will require developing and studying professional learning programs -- in and outside of schools -- that interweave attention to science content with attention to the needs and experiences of all students, including English language learners, special education students, gifted and talented students, and diverse learners.
From page 231...
... Such research could focus on online or hybrid professional development programs, face-to-face learning opportunities that take advantage of the use of technology in pursuit of ambitious instruction, the use of technology to teach to the new vision of science learning, or the support of online professional networks of teachers. Research Recommendation 6: Design and Implement Research Focused on the Learning Needs of Teacher Leaders and Professional Development Providers The field also needs research on the development of teacher educators, professional development leaders, and teacher leaders more generally.
From page 232...
... . Differential effects of three professional development models on teacher knowledge and student achievement in elementary science.


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