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STEM Research
Report: To Engage
Students, Science Ed Needs to Emphasize Local Phenomena
By Dian Schaffhauser12/13/18
A new National Academy of Sciences draft report looks at middle and
high school science labs and explores how best to engage students in
doing science and engineering. It's a compelling topic because,
according to the authors, the majority of Americans learn most of what
they know about science and engineering as middle and high school
students; if education doesn't hook them then, it probably won't get
many more chances.
The report is a "revisit" of a previous study published in 2006 that
examined high school science specifically. Since then, the authors
pointed out, there's been a shift from students "receiving knowledge
from the teacher," to students using "exploration, reflection and
discussion" to make sense of phenomena. Instead of approaching science
content and the methods for doing science as two separate activities,
they're blended together. And there's greater concern about engaging
all students — especially those in underrepresented groups, who are
starting from a position of disadvantage.
Participants in the newest report included representatives from both
K-12 and higher education as well as science organizations, such as the
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the American Association for the
Advancement of Science.
Among the observations offered in the report are these:
To help students understand how the world works, they need to be
engaged in "learning about natural phenomena and engineering challenges
via science investigation and engineering design."
By choosing phenomena and design challenges that are local or
"culturally relevant," teachers will help motivate students to learn.
The classroom dynamic has changed, in that teachers help "guide, frame
and facilitate" learning while students "ask questions, participate in
discussions, create artifacts and models to show their reasoning and
continuously reflect and revise their thinking."
Engaging students in investigation and design "requires attention to
facilities, budgets, human resources, technology, equipment and
supplies." Otherwise, the "quantity and quality" of the classroom
experiences — and the students having them — suffer.
Likewise, the science and engineering classes exist in a complex fabric
that also includes "local community priorities, state standards,
graduation requirements, college admission requirements and local,
state and national assessments." When these areas don't "align," the
quality of the implementation "is hindered."
This report provides guidance for those immersed in the work on how to
support students. One recommendation, for example, is for the
professional development to follow the same techniques that teachers
will be using with their own students. As part of that, teachers should
receive feedback from their peers and other experts throughout their
career to improve their skills, knowledge and dispositions with the
instructional approaches.
Also, the report advised teachers and designers of instructional
resources to work in teams to produce "coherent sequences of lessons"
that include activities chosen carefully to engage students.
Instructional resources should include information on strategies and
options teachers can use to develop lessons relevant to their students'
backgrounds, cultures and place.
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