The Keli Mutu crater (Flores, Indonesia)
 

Improving Science for Students

The National Research and Development Center on Cognition and Science is a five-year national grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to further the goal of fostering science literacy in young people so they are able to compete in a 21st Century global economy. The Center's work focuses on applying the lens of cognitive science to existing middle school science curricula (Foss and Holt) in an effort to improve student learning of science.

The new adapted curricula is being scientifically tested in a study involving over 180 schools in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson) and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). Professional development on these cognitive principles and their application within the selected science materials has been delivered to teachers in participating schools. These methods for improving student learning are being evaluated through rigorously designed scientific studies. One of the measures of the effectiveness of the modifications will be student performance on statewide science asssessments because preparing students to meet the cognitive demand of those instruments is also a focus of the work.

 

Welcome

 

What are the requirements for participation?

The District will be asked to cooperate in all of the following areas:

  • Aid in the collection of data and appoint a point person to coordinate these efforts.
  • Release student PSSA reading, math, and science scores to the researchers.
  • Release teachers four half days during the school year for follow-up meetings. These will be arranged at mutually agreeable times. Substitute costs will be reimbursed.
  • Attendance by teachers at a three-day paid summer institute.
  • Completion by teachers of the Survey of Enacted Curriculum that collects teacher demographics and surveys current teaching practice.
  • Willingness on the part of both administration and teachers to participate in research which will benefit our country as we seek to learn how to make a significant difference in science achievement to remain competitive internationally.