ERIC Number: EJ1221718
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jul
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Applying the Next Generation Science Standards to Current Chemistry Classrooms: How Lessons Measure up and How to Respond
Kellamis, Natalia M.; Yezierski, Ellen J.
Journal of Chemical Education, v96 n7 p1308-1317 Jul 2019
With the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), curriculum and professional development have had to change rapidly to fit the new standards. To aid with those changes, the EQuIP rubric was released as a guide for NGSS alignment. This study aims to evaluate lesson plans developed through the Target Inquiry project to determine if the lessons developed under the National Science Education Standards are aligned with the new standards. The utility of the EQuIP rubric was also evaluated. Target Inquiry at Miami University (TIMU) teachers authored 19 lessons, which were evaluated using version 2 of the EQuIP rubric, which was modified to better fit the aims of the study. Each lesson evaluation included a numerical score in each of the EQuIP lesson quality criteria and a list of the grade band for each occurrence of an NGSS dimension (crosscutting concepts, disciplinary core ideas, and science and engineering practices). Overall, the lessons scored well on criteria concerning use of scientifically accurate information and direct evidence of student learning. The lessons did not score well on criteria that related to specific characteristics of the lesson plan format, which was unsurprising because the lessons were not written with the criteria of EQuIP in mind. It was also discovered that the lessons contained many occurrences of the dimensions that were below the 9-12 grade level. This could indicate that the level to which the NGSS expects teachers to be teaching is higher than what is currently ongoing in secondary classrooms. This study also has implications for NGSS implementation stemming from the intensive study required of the researchers to detect which specific NGSS standards were being applied in lessons with integrity. Better rubrics and a large amount of preparation is likely needed for teachers to learn to apply NGSS with fidelity.
Descriptors: Academic Standards, Chemistry, Science Education, Curriculum Evaluation, Lesson Plans, Alignment (Education), Scoring Rubrics, High School Teachers, Evaluation Criteria
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A