How do we reform the Process of Science at a National Level?


Pipeline Issues/Approach:

  • K-12 people have been talking about this forever, it does seem to be on a geologic time scale
  • Teacher Training programs where teachers work one-on-one with preservice (Model from: Duquesne University Intern program)
  • Who is teaching whom? If science faculty aren't teaching preservice, then how does that infiltrate into schools (one nut to crack is looking at easy pathways to educating the Science Faculty what it is and the other is how to convince them to infiltrate it into their curriculum).
  • Different Populations: Those that teach science, those that are taking science classes.
  • Need to distinguish between Nature of Science and understanding how science is done
  • Absolutely need to demonstrate what is the utility on understanding the nature of science/process of science is. Does understanding the process help with the ability to do science? In other words, are students able to think more critically if they're capable of understanding the process of science?
  • Need to be able to explain the WHY this is important, get people to care about it otherwise they won't do it. Many of us may not even realize we have pre-service (future teachers) in our introductory classrooms--this is their last contact with academic science before they enter their own classroom. What is it that we want our teachers to be able to help with preparing an educated citizenry that may not go on to take any further science classes.
  • Barriers:
    • K-12 education training system is not best suited to prepare pre-service teachers appropriately for understanding Process of Science
    • Overcoming standards vs. what is assessed
  • Possible solutions:
    • Discussion on Process of Science at a Future Faculty workshop with Cutting Edge (a small starting point, next steps may involve working with larger institutions such as, Center for the Integration of Teaching and Learning: have graduate students help to write some of the NOS/POS curriculum for general ed courses already in place. Could include teachers in that process as well)
    • Putting process of science into a class for new graduate students (can be sold as a way to be more likely to finish efficiently on their dissertation)
    • Partner with Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)--National partner to work
    • Working with faculty developers (Professional Development Organizations)
    • Look at GK-12 programs--a great way to reach many different levels (graduate fellows and teachers working in partnerships, Karen Viskupic will develop a session at the NSF meeting in the spring).
    • Tap into the frustration level about student lack of understanding about climate change, evolution, and other big idea issues that "students aren't getting it."
    • Tap into the accreditation process?