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For the Revolution in Earth and space science education to be successful, a number of specific and coordinated actions must be taken to move from where we are now to our vision of Earth and space science education in the year 2010. The following is a summary of the major actions and changes recommended by the workshop participants as well as a short rationale for each recommendation.
State-Based Alliances:
Establish State-based Alliances to promote Earth and space science education reform. Alliance partners should include educators, scientists, policy makers, businesses, two and four year colleges, museums, technology centers, and others concerned about improving the caliber and scope of Earth and space science education.
Rationale: States are the locus for change in our nation's schools. State departments of education define curriculum frameworks, establish testing policies, support professional development, and in some cases, approve textbooks and materials for adoption. State alliances should work closely with policy makers, district administrators, educators and parents to promote the reforms outlined in this report.
Annual Snapshot:
Develop and conduct an Annual Snapshot of Earth and Space Science Education to gauge progress toward meeting the goals outlined in this report. To measure improvements in Earth and space science education, we need to collect annual data on the current status of Earth and space science education in each state, on student performance, on teacher professional development, and on curriculum reform, and we must monitor these changes over time.
Rationale: The American Geological Institute recently published the "National Status Report on K-12 Earth Science Education." This report provides baseline data on the numbers of students taking Earth and space science at the middle- and high-school level, on the background of teachers teaching Earth and space science, and on high-school graduation requirements. However, additional data are needed on an annual basis to examine the progress of reform efforts and to look at changes in student achievement over time.
Professional Development Academies:
Create national and state professional development academies in Earth and space science. These academies should offer both summer institutes and school-year offerings (online). They should model best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment and encourage K-12 educators to be lifelong learners.
Rationale: Teachers should have an array of high-quality professional development opportunities, helping them to understand Earth as a system, use new technologies, and place a greater emphasis on investigations, in which students pursue answers through inquiry and exploration rather than simply reading text.
Curriculum Reform:
Develop a set of core learning goals for Earth and space science education in grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 based on the National Science Education Standards, State Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy. These learning goals should be more specific than National or State standards, but less proscriptive than a district or classroom curriculum.
Rationale: All students should experience Earth and space science as processes of inquiry, exploration and discovery; they should learn about Earth as a system of interconnected components and processes. Field experiences, the Web and other interactive visualization technologies should be an integral part of the curriculum.
Earth and Space Science as a Lab Course:
Expand the scope of participation in Earth and space science education. Earth and space science education should be taught at all grade levels. In high school it should be part of the standard science curriculum, on par with biology, chemistry, and physics. Development of state-based alliances involving state policy makers, district administrators, educators, business leaders and parents is one method to achieve this goal, as are collaborations with biology, chemistry and physics educators.
Rationale: Currently, many state policies and higher education admissions practices hinder the teaching of Earth and space science to all students. For example, many states require only two years of high-school science to graduate and consequently many students never take Earth and space science. Likewise, many colleges do not currently accept high-school Earth and space science courses as a laboratory science needed for admission, again limiting the number of students in these courses.
Exemplary Student Assessments:
Develop a national database of high-quality, grade-level appropriate Earth and space science assessments. Work with policy makers and state education offices and K-12 educators to ensure that these assessments are aligned with state and district curriculum goals and become a regular part of annual state assessments.
Rationale: Throughout K-12 education there is a strong and growing interest in assessing student learning. Current national and state assessments typically focus on measurements of student factual knowledge. Additional performance and project-based assessments are needed to assess higher order thinking and problem-solving skills, but few such assessments currently exist in the Earth and space sciences. Students should have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of scientific principles in a variety of ways and teachers should receive training on how to integrate different types of assessment into the curriculum.
Equity and Diversity:
Enhance access to high-quality Earth and space science resources, mentoring, research experiences and professional development opportunities for students and teachers in high-needs schools. Collaborate with and support existing programs and organizations (e.g. MESA, Upward Bound, SACNAS, AISES, NABGG, Centers for Learning and Teaching, Urban and Rural Systemic Reform Initiatives) and promote the use of the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) to disseminate resources and create online communities of learners.
Rationale: Students and teachers in high-needs schools often lack the resources, facilities and training found in more affluent schools. All students should have the opportunity to do inquiry-based investigations of Earth and spaces whether they live in urban, rural or suburban areas. In addition, both college-bound and non college-bound students should be encouraged to take courses in Earth and space science. New curricula should include cultural and place-based perspectives and teacher training opportunities should include working with diverse populations.
Informal Education:
Create new opportunities for students and parents to learn about Earth and space science in informal settings. This can be done by strengthening current partnerships and forming new collaborations with the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), state and national parks, and youth and community organizations. Scientists should be encouraged to collaborate with informal education providers and receive training on working with children and parents in diverse educational settings.
Rationale: We learn much of what we know outside of formal schooling. Informal education is the foundation for lifelong learning and rather than being required, it is voluntary. All students and parents, regardless of location, culture or socioeconomic status should have access to rich and diverse informal learning opportunities focused on the world around them. Strong partnerships between formal and informal educators can ensure that these are high-quality and fun learning experiences.
Research:
Develop a strong research program in Earth and space science education. As we work to reform Earth and space science education, there is an urgent need to understand how students of all types and abilities learn about Earth and space, how to assess student learning, and how to develop curricula that meet the needs of diverse learners. Collaborations with science education researchers in other disciplines can provide a good foundation for developing a research program in Earth and space science education.
Rationale: Research on teaching and learning in Earth and space science education provides the basis for the development of new, more effective curricula and teaching strategies, the appropriate use of new technologies in classroom and field settings, the professional development of teachers, and the creation of high-quality assessments. Currently, only limited research has been done on Earth and space science education.
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