Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR) The NSTA Learning Center "The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U. S. Department of Education."

National Science Teachers Association Professional Programs Welcome/Introductions Zipporah Miller Associate Executive Director Professional Programs & Conferences

Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR) Wendy Binder Program Director Professional Development

Science Educator

District Sets Goals Strategic Plan DoReflectSPIR District Critical Issues Research Knowledge Beliefs Strategies Brokering NSTA District Context *Adapted from Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics; Figure 1.2. Design Framework for Professional Development in Science and Mathematics

Reflection on Current State  How do you feel about your school/district’s current science program?  What are some reasons you feel this way?  Share with a partner.

Desired State If your science program were exactly the way you want it to be, what would it be like?

Knowing Where You Are What are some strategies you are using to assess the status of your school/district program?

A Gap Bridging Resource  We asked the same questions  We had the desire to serve the needs of schools/districts across the country  Needed to help establish benchmark data

Lessons Learned NSTA has worked with seven districts and conducted more than 60 school reviews…

If you are going to review your science program….  Establish review standards  Engage various stakeholders  Use expert reviewers

Critical Elements  A shared program vision  Clear expectations of what students and teachers should be doing in science classrooms  A focus on student learning  Use research-based review tools

School Culture of High Expectations Classroom Implementation of Curriculum Accountability Policy and Administrative Support Data driven decision making for continuous improvement. Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR)

SPIR is a standards-based and comprehensive assessment of a school’s instructional program. The report is the basis for program planning and advancing the teaching for learning of science. Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR)

SPIR is conducted using NSTA’s Standards for High-Quality Science Programs, which address every aspect of the system that affects student achievement in science, kindergarten through 12th grade. There are fifteen standards, objectives for achieving each one, and rubrics describing levels of progress toward best practices. Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR)

A team of trained expert reviewers visit schools to observe classes and talk to staff, students and parents. Data is collected from district documents, instructional materials, surveys, and focus groups. Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR)

Evaluating the science program using NSTA’s SPIR is a collaborative effort between school district leaders, school personnel, NSTA staff, and expert reviewers recruited and trained by NSTA. The brochure provides an overview of the process from a number of perspectives. See our website for more detailed information. Science Program Improvement Review (SPIR)

Flavio Mendez Senior Director The NSTA Learning Center: Scalable and Sustainable e-Professional Development

Purpose Present an overview of the NSTA Learning Center: NSTA’s e-PD portal designed to help science teachers address their content/classroom needs.

The Professional Development Landscape A significant, positive correlation exists between student achievement and teachers’ content knowledge (subject matter AND pedagogical content knowledge). Detrimental classroom effects when teachers do not feel confident in their knowledge of science. Aaronson, Barrow and Sander, 2003; Bransford, Brown,; Clermont & Borko, 1994; Cochran-Smith and Zeichner, 2005; Cocking, Donovan, & Pellegrino, 2000 Darling-Hammond, 2006; Darling-Hammond and Bransford, 2005; Economic Policy Institute, 2003; Goldhaber, 2002; Goldhaber and Brewer, 1998; Goldhaber and Brewer, 2000; Jepsen, 2004; Kane, Rockoff and Staiger, 2006; Ma, 1999; Monk, 1994; Rivkin, Hanushek, and Kain, 2005; Rockoff 2004; Sanders and Rivers, 1996; Shulman, 1986, 1987; Wenglinsky, 2002; Wilson, Floden and Ferrini-Mundy, Council of Chief State School Officers: Blank, R.K., Alas, N., & Smith, C ; Mestre & Cocking, 2002; Weinburgh, Smith, & Clark, 2008; Whitehurst, 2002; Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2002.

High Quality/Impact PD Share these characteristics On-going, not one shot opportunity contact hours to change practice Content/Pedagogy Focus Coherence (individual plan for long term growth) Laura M. Desimone: University of Pennsylvania Iris Weiss, Horizon Research, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC Workshop for State Leader and Evaluators of Teacher Professional Development Washington, DC, April 24-25, 2008 Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice in Professional Development Washington, DC February 7-8, 2006

What we know—Local Systemic Change Core Evaluation: K-8 Weaknesses (75,000 data points) “Teachers of Science” with less then 16 hours of PD in Science in last 3 years” What % at K-4 level? What % at 5-8 level? What % at 9-12 level? 76% 57% 32% Looking Inside the Classroom: A Study of K-12 Mathematics and Science Education in the United States—10 yr longitudinal national classroom observation study: Horizon Research, Weiss, 2003 Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice in PD

The NSTA Learning Center has over 4,400 resources and practical tools to help you organize, personalize, and document your growth over time. The NSTA Learning Center

Collaborators

Over 51,000 active users with over 344,000 resources across their libraries The NSTA Learning Center

NSTA Journal Articles Teacher PD Indexer 4,400+ Professional Development Resources and Opportunities University Online Affiliates NSTA e-Books and online Chapters NSTA Symposia & PD Institutes Regional/State Face-to-Face PD connector reminder NSTA SciGuides document NSTA Certificate My PD Plan & Portfolio My Transcript My Library My Notepad My Calendar NSTA SciPacks and Science Objects Search Engine Online Filters connector NSTA Web Seminars NSTA Online Short Courses School Report The NSTA Learning Center

supported by Featured e-PD resources

2-hour free online learning experience in a particular topic Interactive simulations Questions to promote interaction and learning Based on science literacy goals in science education standards Sixty-four (64) Science Objects are currently available

Interactive Simulations

supported by Featured e-PD resources

3-5 Science Objects Unlimited Content Mentor Support Pedagogical Implications Component Assessment and Certification Opportunity SciPack

SciPack Topics and Production Status Earth & Space 9 Topics Physical 7 Topics Life 13 Topics Completed  Earth, Sun & Moon  Gravity & Orbits  The Solar System  The Universe  Weather & Climate  Rock Cycle  Plate Tectonics  Earth’s Changing Surface  Force & Motion  Energy  Nature of Light  Chemical Reactions  Cell Structure & Function  Coral Reef Ecosystems  Science of Food Safety  Resources & Human Impact In Production  Earth’s History  Magnetic & Electric Forces  Elements, Atoms & Molecules  Atomic Structure  Cell Division & Differentiation  Cells & Chemical Reactions  Regulation & Behavior of Organisms  Flow of Matter & Energy in Ecosystems  Nutrition Coming Soon  Heredity & Variation  Biological Evolution  Natural Selection  Interdependence of Life

SciPack Evaluation Results Participant Feedback: Confidence in teaching subject matter: 7%: Very Confident Before completing F&M SciPack 60%: Very Confident After completing F&M SciPack 98%: Found SciPack content relevant to their needs 96%: Would recommend SciPack to their colleagues 98%: Found interactive simulations worthwhile to their learning Pre/Post Assessment and Final Assessment Results –Horizon Research Instrument: Positive significant gains in learning between pre/post test –Final assessment: 92% passed the final assessment Evaluation of Online, On-Demand Science Professional Development Material Involving Two Different Implementation Models (Sherman & Byers) Journal Science Education and Technology February, 2008 (Vol. 17, No. 1)

Weather and Climate SciPack: Example Pre/Post Assessment Data ― Significant Documented Improvement Pre/post Assessment Scores in District/State deployments Which resources are added and shared across libraries Frequency of usage and percentage of completion Assessment Pass/Fail Data for Every SciPack Additional Data Tracked for Administrators: The NSTA Learning Center

supported by Featured e-PD resources

Valuable classroom resources for science teachers interested in integrating the web into their teaching  Each SciGuide consists of:  Customized lesson plans using selected web resources  Approximately 100 standards-aligned web- accessible resources  Teacher media vignettes describing and showcasing the lessons  Samples of student work  Interactives utilized in SciPack on same topic

Sample of Student Work from Organisms SciGuide

supported by Featured e-PD resources

 Interact with leading scientists, engineers, education specialists and colleagues from around the world  Since 2003 we have done over 185 web seminars to over 8,100 participants  130+ web seminar archives, 200+ podcasts LIVE INTERACTIVE YOUR DESKTOP

Other e-PD resources  Journal Articles  eBook Chapters  Online Courses

NSTA Learning Center Tools

 Store and create collections of resources  Create notes for individual resources  Share your collections with colleagues  Upload your own resources My Library

Upload your own resources to My Library  Word docs  Excel files  PPT pres.  URLs  Images

 Diagnose gaps in content understanding  Recommend targeted PD resources for individual users My PD Indexer

My PD Plan & Portfolio  Create multiyear plan outlining goals, evidences, and justifications for growth  Upload files to demonstrate completion of goals with reflections  Generate automatic PDF report with embedded URL links and images

My Transcript  Receive certificates  Generate PDF transcript report  Share report with administrators

Help Desk  Recover password  How to Guide - files  System Check  FAQ  Phone Support  (M-F), 10 am – 6 pm  Eastern time

If District or State Partnership: Everything except books and online short courses are free to $100 /teacher/year Three Ways For Accessing Content as Individual Free to All 1,200+ resources! Free for Members only Fee to All Member discount Science Objects Journal Articles (2/month/Journal) e-Book Chapters (selected) Web Seminars Seminar Archives/Podcasts All Learning Center Tools All Journal Articles Selected e-Books SciPacks SciGuides Conferences and events at conferences NSTA Books e-Books and e-Book Chapters NSTA Online Short Courses The NSTA Learning Center

Accountability System for States, Districts, and Schools

Admin Tracking Reports Track Resource Preferences and Usage What resources are added to libraries Track by resource and individual usage

Track SciPack Progress Frequency of Access Percentage of completion Final Assessment Results with Certificate Pre/Post Assessment Results Admin Tracking Reports

West Virginia Department of Education New Hampshire Department of Education Hawaii Department of Education Nebraska Department of Education Cincinnati Public School, Cincinnati, OH Atlanta Public Schools Gwinnett and Forsyth County Public Schools, Atlanta, GA Lincoln County Public Schools, Lincoln, NE Twin Harbors Science Consortium LASER Alliance, Mountain to Harbor Alliance, WA (Leadership & Assistance for Science Education and Reform) Oregon Science Teachers Association Florida Science Teachers Association Zero-G Flight Initiative Shelby County, TN Texas Education Service Center-36 TRC University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD Stamford Public Schools, CT Several State/District Partnerships as of Jan The NSTA Learning Center

Nine Step Deployment Model Example Plan how fit into existing strategic science PD plan for district, and if desire evaluation partner Identify first wave of teachers/curriculum leaders for pilot (champions, mentors, specialist, master educators) Letter from home office informing about the value/purpose of rollout, followed-up with face-to-face discussion Provide 1 day onsite orientation to support launch All take identical SciPack for initial common experience Provide appropriate incentives and penalties as complete SciPacks, link to facilitated moderated discussion/PLC Admin monitor progress, usage, completion and pass rates Conduct monthly/quarterly follow-up telecons with NSTA Provide additional web seminars if/as needed The NSTA Learning Center

Zipporah Miller Associate Executive Director Professional Programs & Conferences Flavio Mendez Senior Director The NSTA Learning Center Wendy Binder Program Director (SPIR) Professional Development

The instructional practices and assessments discussed or shown in this presentation are not intended as an endorsement by the U. S. Department of Education.