Science

Helping Students Learn the Thinking Skills in the NGSS Crosscutting Themes

STEM Categorization
Day
Fri

Join the presenters of this session as they consider ways to support deep learning of the NGSS crosscutting themes, starting with examples from EcoXPT, followed by group discussion and sharing of artifacts.

Date/Time
-
Presenters

The crosscutting themes in the NGSS call for forms of thinking that often are contrary to everyday forms of thinking and are not familiar to most students, especially students from underrepresented populations. Within each theme, there are supporting skills and understandings that students must have in order to understand the broader theme. For example, to reason well about cause and effect, students need to know when to attempt to isolate and control for variables and when to look for interactions, multiple contributing causes, and indirect causes.

DRK–12 Broadening Participation Topical Group Synthesis Feedback

STEM Categorization
Day
Fri

Discuss and provide feedback on brief syntheses of (a) DRK–12 research on broadening participation in STEM and (b) theories used to study broadening participation.

Date/Time
-

Designing Computer-based Learning Environments That Support Synergistic STEM + Computational Thinking (CT) Learning

Day
Fri

This panel session brings together several projects that explore affordances and challenges to synergistic delivery of STEM and CT concepts and practices in K–12 classrooms.

Date/Time
-

While there is broad consensus about the synergistic relations between STEM domains and CT concepts and practices, there remains much to be done in developing CT-supported STEM curricula and in providing K–12 teachers and practitioners with the tools and resources to implement such curricula. In this 90-minute topical session, leaders from four DRK–12 STEM+C projects that are developing technology-based solutions address challenges in developing appropriate curricula, resources, and assessments for elementary, middle, and high school STEM courses.

From Pilots to Products: Sustained Dissemination of Curriculum, Software, and Hardware at Scale

Day
Thu

Plan how to broadly disseminate, maintain, and sustain the products of your DRK–12 and/or STEM+C project. Learn about common models, and share your own ideas and experiences.

Date/Time
-

This session, led by veteran PIs and co-PIs from Georgia Tech and Concord Consortium, provides a forum for participants to explore the pros and cons of different routes toward product sustainability. The session begins with a carousel activity in which participants respond to prompt questions about challenges and models for transitioning educational resources from research projects to sustained dissemination at scale.

Designing and Analyzing Studies to Detect Moderation and Mediation

STEM Categorization
Day
Thu

This session provides practical training in the concepts and application of moderation and mediation within the context of STEM education.

Date/Time
-

This session provides applied training in the principles and practice of designing and analyzing studies to address questions of moderation and mediation. Presenters outline the motivation and critical value of complementing “what works”-type questions with explanatory investigations that address for whom a program works, under what conditions it works, and how it works for different groups. A practical outline of the concepts of moderation and mediation is presented through several STEM case studies.

Broadening Participation Through Enhanced Relationships Between STEM Content and Disciplinary Language for Teaching English Learners

STEM Categorization
Day
Thu

Learn about a model of language-rich STEM inquiry for broadening participation of English learners in formal and informal spaces, followed by an interactive discussion.

Date/Time
-
Presenters

This roundtable session begins with the presentation of a model of language-rich STEM inquiry for broadening participation of English learners (ELs) in formal and informal spaces. This model, developed through the work of this DRK–12 project, brings together EL students, their families, and their STEM teachers in both formal and informal STEM learning spaces. The goal of the model is to support teachers in better utilizing their EL students’ conceptual and linguistic assets to support STEM learning goals with the larger aim of broadening participation in STEM to include more ELs.

Promoting STEM Learning for Students with Learning Disabilities

STEM Categorization
Day
Thu

Panelists examine the challenges and opportunities faced by STEM educators when balancing strong STEM pedagogy with specific strategies for students with learning disabilities.

(Moderator: Robert Ochsendorf) 

 

Date/Time
-

For decades, the STEM education community has been moving toward modes of collaborative inquiry and social constructivism within rich and deep contexts for investigation. This includes situated learning models (e.g., cognitive apprenticeship) and student-centered learning in project-based learning environments. A primary focus in recent science education reform efforts encourages students and teachers to engage in more open inquiry and problem-solving practices that are inherent in the scientific discovery process.