The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are out, and being adopted formally and informally by schools around the nation. They are also being used to inform revisions to standardized tests such as the ACT as well as many state assessments of student learning. If the NGSS are widely adopted in both spirit and practice it could mean a significant shift in K-12 science instruction, which impacts the skills, abilities and expectations of incoming college freshmen. In this presentation you will be introduced to the NGSS with special attention to physics. The most significant implications for college preparation will be discussed.
The adoption of the NGSS by K-12 schools also presents opportunities for collaboration with institutes of higher learning. For example, engineering is now included as a content area. Additionally, the focus on the practices of scientists and engineers creates issues for teachers who may have little experience in authentic scientific inquiry. Faculty with expertise in science and engineering can offer professional development to teachers that significantly impacts the ways in which the new science standards manifest in local schools. A peek into the world of the high school science teacher may shed some light on the realities of that life and help you to create meaningful and useful experiences for the teachers preparing your future students. One case study on college/high school partnership will be described.
