THE VISION OF THE FRAMEWORK AND THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS

The research on learning science and engineering that informed the Framework and the NGSS emphasizes that science and engineering involve both knowing and doing; that developing rich, conceptual understanding is more productive for future learning than simply memorizing discrete facts; and that learning experiences should be designed with coherent progressions over multiple years in mind (National Research Council, 2007). The Framework describes broad learning goals for students in terms of three dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. It outlines coherent trajectories for students' learning in science that span grades K-12. The Framework emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities for all students to continually build on and revise their knowledge and abilities through engagement in the practices of science and engineering. The expectation is also that, in doing so, more students and a more diverse group of students will want to continue their education in these areas to become scientists or engineers and, as citizens, will more deeply understand the processes and core ideas of science and engineering (National Research Council, 2007, 2009).

The NGSS describe ambitious targets for student learning in science that are based on the goals described in the Framework. These targets are framed as performance expectations that describe how students will use their knowledge as they engage in scientific and engineering practices. To reach these targets, science education will need to change—for educators at all levels as well as for students, and for networks as well as individuals. The necessary transformations in classrooms will require time, resources, and ongoing attention from state, district, and school leaders.

Together, the two documents provide a vision for science education that both builds on previous national standards for science education and reflects research-based advances in learning and teaching science. This new vision differs in important ways from how science is currently being taught in many classrooms: see Table 1-1.

TABLE 1-1

Implications of the Vision of the Framework and the NGSS.

USING THE REPORT

This report is organized by chapters that correspond to the major elements that need to be considered when implementing the NGSS: Chapters 3-8 cover instruction; professional learning for teachers, administrators, and district leaders; curriculum resources; assessment and accountability; collaborations, networks, and partnerships; and policy and communication (National Research Council, 2002, 2006b). Each of these chapters begins with the committee's recommendations for action and ends with the committee's cautions about potential pitfalls. As context for those chapters, Chapter 2 identifies the overarching principles that should guide the planning and implementation process.

The primary audiences for this report are district and school leaders and teachers charged with developing a plan and implementing the NGSS. Our recommendations are also relevant to a broader audience that includes community stakeholders, out-of-school science program providers, professional development programs, teacher preparation programs, and funders of science education.

Efforts to adopt and then implement the NGSS have been under way since their release in April 2013. Several science education organizations are involved in supporting these efforts including Achieve Inc., the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Council of State Science Supervisors (especially through its initiative, Building Capacity in State Science Education), the National Research Council's Board on Science Education, and the National Science Teachers Association. Each of these organizations provides online resources that can be helpful in learning about the Framework and the NGSS and developing an implementation plan. Websites for these organizations are listed at the end of this report. Some states are already engaged in planning for or implementing the NGSS,¹ but many districts and schools have not yet begun this work.

ORIGIN OF THE REPORT

This report was conceived by the members of the Board on Science Education to help provide guidance for implementing the NGSS over the next decade and beyond. While the NGSS are the focus, the recommendations may also help everyone who is searching for how to better maximize science learning for all students, regardless of their science standards. The seven-member committee was composed of current or past members of the Board on Science Education, which was given the following charge:

Write a short report regarding necessary steps toward implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards. Drawing on existing National Research Council reports, the report will identify the parts of the education system that need to be attended to when implementing the standards and discuss the changes that need to be made to each part of the system.

To address this charge, the committee examined the National Research Council reports on science education, as well as those on the broader education system. These sources were supplemented with peer-reviewed research on relevant topics and the members' collective expertise.

Footnotes

1

See http://ngss​.nsta.org/ for updates on which states have adopted the NGSS.