Hi, and thanks for checking out our video! This project was part of the Exploratorium Teacher Institute’s ongoing work as a professional learning center for science teachers. Our programs are grounded in experiential learning, and we built on this approach to help teachers start to understand the learning described by the Next Generation Science Standards. We’ve always worked alongside teachers to best respond to their needs and deeply value the involvement of researchers in this project to help us understand how engaging in three-dimensional learning experiences supported teachers’ sensemaking of NGSS.

Please post any questions you have along with any strategies that you’ve found successful in helping teachers transition to NGSS. If you’re a teacher, what have you found helpful in implementing NGSS? What remains a challenge?

Really enjoyed the teacher accounts of the PD in this video, but tell me a little bit about the research and evaluation on the project. What are you learning about teacher PD and what kind of evidence do you have related to the impact of the PD you have been delivering?

Nice video. It’s so fun to hear from teachers about how their experience with your project is helping them adjust to NGSS. Does the PD include providing teachers with instructional materials that they take into the classroom? If so, could you describe the materials?

Hi there! I enjoyed your video and really appreciate your approach to professional learning. Giving teachers an authentic adult-level science learning experience is integral to them knowing what to try and replicate in the classroom. 

I'm wondering what type of framework you use for helping teachers shift their lessons. I feel like there are a lot of resources out there that are designed to help with this but many are either too heavy and dive way too deep into the NGSS that using them frequently and quickly is a challenge. While others are easy to use but don't really get the shifts we are looking for. How have you struck this balance?

Enjoyed hearing the teacher perspectives. This is "thinking inside the box"? ? Thanks for a lovely video.

Thank you for sharing this work! I was curious as to whether teachers come in 'teams' from their school or work in collaboration with their departments? Is there a model that supports this work and what have you found, if anything, with/without that support?

Thank you for sharing your work and tools! Do you think these tools will be appropriate for elementary school teachers as well?

Hi,

The video resonated with me as I direct the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University and we offer professional learning opportunities focused on mathematics education - primarily around shifting toward more inquiry-based learning, such as what you discussed in your video. I am wondering, what are your research questions for this study and how are you measuring the impact?

Hello Julie,

Appreciate all your efforts to help teachers understand importance of phenomena with NGSS.  Pleased to learn your program emphasizes several important components including teacher as learner, curiosity and creativity, and designing investigations, collecting and analyzing data and arguing from evidence.  These points are also emphasized in recent National Academies report.  Here is an infographic from the report https://www.nap.edu/resource/25216/interactive/

Thank you. 

Thank you very much for sharing this great video! The work looks amazing and the teachers seem to be enjoying themselves and are really delving deeply into the explorations. I particularly appreciated the assets-based approach/ having teachers modify their own activities. :) How do you assess what the teachers are gaining? What are some words of wisdom. What kinds of activities do teachers select from among their activities?

Hi Perla,

This was a two-year project, so the research findings that Sara discusses above cover teachers' experiences one year after the PD. Anecdotally, we continue to do this work with teachers and teacher leaders across California who report the full range of results, from still struggling with understanding NGSS to success working with large district implementation. In terms of selecting candidate activities to develop, we encourage teachers to think about a guiding question or phenomenon that might engage their students and a sequence of activities to explore this. In addition to modifying for NGSS, teachers also come to terms with things that don't quite meet the demands of three-dimensional learning and might be better left out of their curriculum, even if it's a favorite demo.

Hi Sara, Jessica, and team. A great video! I love what you are doing with PD. It is wonderful to see fellow STEM/ Maker enthusiast using the resources people bring to facilitate learning!

Hello,

This PD really looks like fun! And very interesting to help understand the NGSS. I find putting teachers in the students' position to be very effective. This is how professional learning is approached in our project as well!

After experiencing activities as students, which challenges do the teachers meet in the design process of their own activities and how do you support them?

Thanks,

Coralie

Hi Coralie,

One challenge is anticipating student questions and ideas in advance to be able to have the materials prepared that might support further investigations. That's one reason we encourage teachers to actually engage in the activity themselves while they plan. Another is how daunting the time commitment is in order to have students truly engage in inquiry. I think that's an ongoing challenge, but people are coming around to doing fewer things more deeply. One bright note is folks reporting that after investing the time to set up norms and practices in their classroom, subsequent activities and investigations go much smoother.

Hi Julie,

Thank you so much for sharing about the challenges that teachers meet. Very interesting observations.

I totally agree about setting up norms, our teachers also tell us that it's an important step and it's worth investing time in it.

Thanks,

Coralie