Curriculum

This project aims to investigate needs and challenges in developing an informed public able to evaluate empirical evidence generated from scientific activities. This includes understanding teachers' epistemic goals and practices and how to provide professional development (PD) to improve instruction. The resulting instruction will offer new affordances to advance students' and teachers' learning.

Co-PI(s): Clark Chinn, Rutgers University

This project aims to develop and validate an online assessment instrument to measure preservice elementary teachers’ content knowledge for teaching (CKT) about matter, a critical area for preservice teacher learning. We also developed different resources for science teacher educators to support elementary preservice teachers' growth in CKT.

Co-PI(s): Katherine Castellano, Educational Testing Service (ETS)

The purpose of this project is the design and development of a K-12 classroom observation protocol for integrated STEM instruction (STEM-OP). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the STEM-OP will be a valid and reliable instrument for use in a variety of educational contexts. The STEM-OP and associated training materials will be available for use by education stakeholders, (e.g., K-12 teachers and district administrators), through a publicly available online platform.

This Early-Stage Design and Development project is developing NGSS-friendly middle school curriculum units on Heredity and Evolution that build skills in constructing explanations and understanding of cause and effect and include embedded formative and summative assessment measures. We will conduct an in-depth study to elucidate how 3D learning contributes to students' conceptual understanding of heredity and evolution, and the supports middle school teachers need to enact 3D curricula and support their students.

To lower the barriers in STEM disciplines for students, using evidence-based research, we designed and conducted a professional development program that built middle school teachers' capacity to use hands-on robotics and engineering design as the curriculum focus. Through summer workshops, teachers learned to: build and program LEGO robots; create and implement standards-aligned robotics-based STEM lessons; and develop, practice, and examine optimal pedagogical approaches for STEM learning using robotics.