Revised Draft MA Science & Technology/ Engineering Standards Overview December, 2013

Why revise?  Full set of standards last developed in 2001  STE contributes to college & career readiness  Student preparation for STEM-focused jobs and postsecondary opportunities  Supports State STEM Plan; Governor’s STEM Advisory Council  Articulation with newly revised AP exams  Supports implementation of Model Curriculum Units and Educator Evaluation initiatives  Reinforces mathematics and literacy standards

Shifts in the draft STE standards  Preparation for post-secondary success  Coherent progressions of learning (practices and concepts)  Integration of practices with concepts  PreK-8 integrated, grade-by-grade standards 3

Scientific & Technological Literacy The overarching goal of our framework for K-12 science education is to ensure that by the end of 12th grade, all students have some appreciation of the beauty and wonder of science; possess sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussions on related issues; are careful consumers of scientific and technological information related to their everyday lives; [and] are able to continue to learn about science outside school. (Framework for K-12 Science Education, NRC, 2012, p.1, emphasis added)

Essential Competencies: Learning Students who are college and career ready in Science and Technology/Engineering will demonstrate the academic knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to enter into and succeed in entry-level, credit- bearing science, engineering or technical courses; certificate or workplace training programs requiring an equivalent level of science; or a comparable entry-level science or technical course at the institution.  That lead to “economically viable career paths” (MA ESE & DHE, 2/26/13;  Developed with support of the Department of Higher Education  That also allow for, but may not be a complete preparation for, postsecondary STEM degrees and majors  We will be checking on this over the next year… College & Career Readiness

Essential Competencies: Learning Students who are college and career ready in Science and Technology/Engineering will … be academically prepared to: Analyze scientific phenomena and solve technical problems in real-world contexts using relevant science and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas. Use appropriate scientific and technical reasoning to support, critique, and communicate scientific and technical claims and decisions. Appropriately apply relevant mathematics in scientific and technical contexts. College & Career Readiness 6

Science & engineering practices 1. Asking questions and defining problems 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 7

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CCR Evidence  Practices are essential  ACT (2011)  College Board (2001); AP redesign  Conley (2005)  Employer surveys  Not an agreed-upon set of HS science content  Depth over breadth, independent of subject (Tai et al, 2005, 2006)  Importance of mathematics (Sadler & Tai, 2007)  All agree practices devoid of content is not appropriate! 9

Coherent progressions of learning  Vertical alignment through progressions of practices and concepts  Draws on learning progression research  A Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012)  Learning Progressions in Science: Current Challenges and Future Directions (Alonzo & Gotwals, 2012)  Learning Progressions in Science: An Evidence-Based Approach to Reform (CPRE, 2009) 10

Coherent progressions PreK-HS 11

Turn and talk (1)  Choose an aspect of the progressions for core ideas and practices  Do you feel they represent coherent progressions of learning?  Do the high school level practices reflect the types of skills students need for post- secondary success?

Integration of practices & content  Importance of opportunities to engage in practices in authentic contexts  Increased mastery of sophisticated subject matter  Increased interest in STEM  America’s Lab Report (NRC, 2005)  Opportunity to Learn Audit: High School Science (Rennie Center, 2008) 13

Findings from America’s Lab Report Typical Lab Practice  Content Mastery  No better or worse than other modes of instruction  Scientific Reasoning  Aids development of some aspects  Interest in Science  Some evidence of increased interest Integrated Dimensions  Content Mastery  Increased mastery of subject matter compared to other modes of instruction  Scientific Reasoning  Aids development of more sophisticated aspects  Interest in Science  Strong evidence of increased interest

Findings from Opportunity to Learn Audit (MA Science)  MA schools with higher performance in science:  Had more science funding, materials, and real-world experiences for students (ES-HS)  Provided more science course options (HS)  Offered enrichment opportunities, peer tutoring, or science-related partnerships with universities (HS)  Had more teachers who specialized in science (ES-HS)  Provided science teachers more preparation time (HS)  Spent more time on elementary science (ES)  Had school leadership who supported science (ES)  Had greater parent involvement & advocacy for science (ES)

Integration of practices & content 5-PS3 Energy 5-PS3-1. Use a model to describe that the food animals digest: a. contains energy that was once energy from the sun, and b. provides energy and materials for body repair and growth, motion and body warmth, and reproduction. [Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include diagrams and flow charts.] [Assessment Boundary: Details of photosynthesis or respiration are not expected.]  Articulates expected performance/demonstration  Does not limit curriculum and instruction to the included practice

MA strand maps Arrows highlight conceptual connections (needed for learning); not curricular connections

Turn and talk (2)  Review the standards of one elementary grade  In what ways do the disciplines support and rely on each other?  In what ways to the standards connect to math and literacy?  Consider conceptual and curricular connections

PreK-8 grade-by-grade standards  Grade-specific standards support:  Collaboration and sharing across districts on curriculum, district determined measures, etc  Consistency when students move schools/districts  All 4 disciplines in each grade encourage integrated instruction  Pre-K developed by EEC 19

High school model  Maintain current model of course choices, flexibility for different pathways  Ensure all options lead to student development of science & engineering practices by end of 3 years of lab science (MassCore)  Continuing to work on the HS model with DHE and others 20

Implications for teaching Shifts in revised standardsShift in curriculum & instruction Organized around core explanatory ideas The goal of teaching needs to shift from facts to explaining phenomena Central role for science and engineering practices Inquiry- and design-based teaching is not a separate activity; all STE learning should involve engaging in practices to build and use knowledge Coherence: ideas and practices build across time and between disciplines Teaching involves building a coherent storyline across time Source: Brian Reiser, Northwestern University, 2013

Turn and talk (3)  Consider the implications of the draft revised standards for curriculum and instruction  What aspects of the draft revised standards do you value?  How might your district/organization use the standards?

A multi-stage (multi-year) process Public Draft State Revision Process MA STE Review Panel & NGSS Advisory Group www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Stan dards_Framework_Homepage.html Adoption

To do before adoption  STEM pathways; implications for HS course sequences and/or upper-level courses  Edits based on input (should be refinements; this version is close)  Develop Framework materials  Post model curriculum units

Next steps for MA standards  Public draft through  Use for planning; PD, curriculum  Try out standards in curriculum & instruction  Use to inform educator goals, district determined measures  Move to official public comment and adoption process  Add additional Framework materials  Multi-year implementation/transition period (including MCAS) after adoption

Based on NGSS  MA participated as a Lead State in NGSS development (26 states total)  Significant and ongoing input from state  Core ideas, practices, and coding system in MA draft are consistent with NGSS  Specific wording & HS model differ

What does MA value in NGSS?  Progressions of DCIs and practices  Integration of concepts and practices in standards  Move to grade-by-grade standards  Inclusion of engineering  Explicit links to math and ELA standards  Conceptual focus  Benefits of commonality across states

Why adapt NGSS for MA? NGSSMA Adaptation  4 dimensions  2 dimensions  Broadly written; inconsistent interpretation  Balances broad concepts with specificity to inform more consistent interpretation  MS grade span  MS grade-by-grade  Engineering design as occasional application of science  Technology/Engineering as a discipline  No CCR definition; all HS courses expected  Define CCR; maintain HS options

NGSS construction  Standard and foundation boxes indicate what is to be learned

MA adaption of NGSS (proposed)  Standards should be able to stand on their own without need for significant interpretation

Much is consistent with NGSS  Coding system of standards  Allows teachers and districts to find and use NGSS- aligned resources created elsewhere  Disciplinary Core Ideas  Science and Engineering Practices  K-5 standards kept in the grades NGSS assigned them to

Thank you! Questions or Comments Jake Foster Joyce Bowen