Session 3 of 3. Look across the Core and Structural Design Features of curriculum-based professional learning to figure out how leaders use them together to support teachers in making the shifts called for in NRC’s Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards

TAKEAWAYS:
By attending to Core and Structural Design Features of curriculum-based professional learning, leaders take a systems approach to supporting teachers in the instructional shifts called for by NRC’s Framework. These shifts promote 3-dimensional phenomena/problem driven science teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

The session aims to enhance leaders’ knowledge and skills to become effective change agents within their organizations. By leveraging systems thinking, leaders will be better positioned to create systems conditions that support every child. This approach goes beyond isolated interventions, emphasizing the importance of systemic change to ensure lasting impact. This session offers an exceptional opportunity to explore the transformative potential of systems thinking and its practical application. The session will empower science leaders to apply systems-level thinking within their own educational settings. Leaders will delve into the features of systems change mapping, a powerful tool for disrupting the deprioritization of science in K-12 systems. By understanding the entry points and dynamics of one’s system, leaders can strategically identify and address the barriers that hinder equitable access to quality science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in applying systems-level thinking to their own contexts as a high-leverage strategy for driving equitable change, and will gain a deeper understanding of the features of systems change mapping for disrupting the deprioritization of science in K-12 systems.

SPEAKERS:
Andy Weatherhead (National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA): Downingtown, PA)

Shifts to 3D science standards require shifts in science teaching. Learn how to evaluate & support through the lens of your state science standards. Participate in discussions with instructional coaches and building administrators as we seek to support student sensemaking through observations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain strategies and resources to support your evaluation and instructional coaching cycles.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA)

Presenters will discuss how a partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the SIU STEM Education Research Center @ Carbondale, IL built a 100% IL-developed Science Assessment. There was a concerted effort by SIU to include willing and qualified IL educators to score constructed responses and item development. It proved to be a powerful professional learning experience. Participants improved their understanding of NGSS (Illinois Learning Standards in Science (ILS-S/NGSS) and classroom practices. Participants report this experience was rewarding personally and professionally, and their classroom instruction benefited students. We will present participant survey data and testimonials to support our claims. Teachers often say there is a lack of meaningful and rewarding NGSS/science professional learning opportunities. We found the Illinois Science Assessment Project is one of the few. We suggest other states, agencies consider the same.

TAKEAWAYS:
Meaningfully including in-service educators in developing your state assessment will transform the black box of large-scale summative assessment to a joint endeavor that will see teacher buy-in and professional development increase, and student learning and scores go up.

SPEAKERS:
ANGELA BOX (Southern Illinois University Carbondale: CARTERVILLE, IL)