IBSE Final

154 NaTIoNal SCIENCE TEaChERS aSSoCIaTIoN

Chapter 8 a Perspective on the Reform of Science Teaching

Competencies are in a central position as they represent the essential change

in emphasis for curricular supplements and teaching strategies described in

the next sections. These skills have been mentioned in prior chapters. They are

summarized here as basic to proposed instructional materials.

How We Can Begin

This section presents a larger picture of how we can initiate and bring about

the changes described in the last section to a scale that matters within the U.S.

education system.

The science education community must plan a decade of action. Achieving

higher levels of scientific literacy cannot be accomplished quickly; it will take a

minimum of 10 years. Tables 8.4 and 8.5 present specifications for reform and

phases for a decade of reform centering on improving scientific literacy in the

United States.

Table 8.4 Specifications for Action Unit of Change Instructional Core Time frame for change 10 years Critical core of change Teachers’ knowledge and skills, curriculum for active learning, level of content and abilities Components of change Education policies, curriculum programs, teaching practices Theory of action for change

Introduce curriculum model instructional units for reform and provide professional development based on those units. Changes in assessment would be introduced as complements to curriculum reform.

Table 8.5 A Decade of Action: Phases and Goals Phase timeline Goal Initiating a response

2 years Design, develop, and implement model instructional units. Bringing the reform to scale

6 years Change policies, programs, and practices at local, state, and national levels. Sustaining the reform

2 years Build capacity at the local level for continuous improvement of school science and technology programs. Evaluating the reform

Continuous, with major evaluation in 10 years

Provide formative and summative data on the nature and results of the reform efforts.