Visionlearning Rubric

What does this mean?

• Science concepts are presented through the lens of their development, rather than as established fact. The processes of scientific investigation, often coupled with engineering design (e.g., the building of new data collection or analysis instruments), drives the narrative, highlights cross-cutting concepts (patterns, systems), and offers the reader a deep understanding of core ideas in the discipline.
• The module describes the authentic process of science as enacted by scientists, and encourages students to think critically about both concepts and processes.

Examples and references:

• Oregon State University's history of science collections.
• TheScience History Institutehas digitized collections and other sources for the stories of the scientists and inventors that have shaped our lives.

What does this mean?

• The module includes explicit descriptions of contributions to science and engineering from multiple cultures, and the role that location, context, and/or culture play in the development of ideas.
• The module acknowledges the different backgrounds and cultures of readers: though it is impossible to anticipate all readers, the text should avoid assumptions that all readers have a shared identity. Examples and metaphors should be carefully chosen and constructed to be familiar to the greatest number of readers, and/or acknowledge multiple identities of readers.
• Other aspects of modules support equitable access, including module translation and audio.

Examples and references:

• Scientists and the Scientific Community includes examples that highlight the role that individuals' backgrounds and cultures play in their work.
• Resources likeI Am a Scientist offer profiles of a diverse group of current scientists.
• The Open Notebook has curated a list of sites highlighting diverse scientists.
• CalAcademy explains the strategy ofconcept-first, in context, prior to providing scientific vocabulary and definition.

What does this mean?

• The module includes applications of concepts, stories of scientists, and hooks that emphasize relevance to readers and emphasizes why this material is worth knowing. Relevance can be established through connections to personal, societal, or everyday issues, problems, or contexts. 
• Supporting resources provide opportunities for readers to explore connections and relevance.

Examples and references:

• How to Hook a Reader contains tips including the brain science explanations of why it works. 
• Hook ideas fromThe Wonder of Science. 
• University of IllinoisPhenomena Finder.

What does this mean?

• Authentic data and models from established or published scientific investigations are described first, then analyzed and interpreted acknowledging the same challenges faced by scientists and engineers. Data themselves are included in the text and/or in graphics. 
• Modules provide scaffolding and guidance for students in analyzing and interpreting data, and quiz questions ask them to practice those skills.
• In selecting the data, models, and scenarios, authors should consider differences in access to technology, tools, and preparation of students.

Examples and references:

• Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence describes how the process of radiocarbon dating evolved by showing the real, messy, and complicated data and how challenges were overcome. 
• Good data sources from NOAA

What does this mean?

• Key concepts reflect and summarize the module text, and include the historical development of scientific ideas, relevance of concepts, and types of data involved; key concepts are not limited to the disciplinary core ideas. 
• Key concepts use the same language and are presented in the same way as in the module.

Reverse outlining can help assess this.

What does this mean?

• Key concepts include science and engineering practices and connections to cross-cutting concepts used to establish disciplinary core ideas; they describe the nature of and use of data as evidence in constructing explanations. 
• Although they cannot/should not be phrased as performance expectations, they should go beyond stating just the disciplinary core ideas.

• NGSSScience and Engineering Practices (SEPs) 
• NGSSCrosscutting Concepts (CCCs) 

What does this mean?

• Key concepts are intentional, concise, detailed, and presented in language that is understandable by the audience, while also promoting science literacy (i.e. appropriate vocabulary should be used).

How to use Microsoft Word to check reading level (strive for grade 8/9 using Flesch-Kincaid Test)

What does this mean?

• Text is unified, with a consistent voice and easily followed structure.
• Generalizations are supported by examples and examples are carried throughout the text.
• The conclusion ties back to the introduction in a meaningful way.

Tool: 

Reverse outlining

What does this mean?

• The text elicits observations, thoughts, ideas, questions through an introductory hook and connections throughout the module. 
• "Sparking curiosity" can be through asking questions and telling a story; "relevant for readers" can mean making the connection between scientific content and people/everyday life, while acknowledging the range of possible identities of students.

Tool: 

Storytelling using And, But, Therefore (thorough explanation,brief explanation)

What does this mean?

• Western science relies on empirical and experiential knowing; other ways of knowing are personal, aesthetic, cultural. Module text recognizes and highlights the funds of knowledge that readers may bring from their own experiences and avoids use of words and phrases that privilege and/or assume a specific way of knowing.

Examples and references:

• Local and indigenous knowledge systems.
• Article about Hawaiian culture surrounding Limu (seaweed). I find this linked article great for understanding how Traditional Local Knowledge impacts students and researchers alike.

What does this mean?

• Contributions from individuals with different identities and backgrounds are included. How those contributions have been historically valued differently should be included where possible.

Examples and references:

Consider incorporating stories of diverse scientists and their contributions such as found in this profile ofRuth Benerito.

What does this mean?

• The history of the development of ideas should be presented through the experiences of and ideas of scientists with reference to the literature and biographical information. Authentic data and models that were part of the process of development are included and explained.
• Problematic historical contexts should be presented as such, including cases of marginalization, victimization, or ignoring the contributions of others.

Examples and references:

• TheGeoContext project has good examples of how racism, colonialism, environmental damage, and other detrimental processes were involved in making scientific advances. 
• Considerland acknowledgement where appropriate.
• Be aware of general topics that often exploit groups: medical field/chemistry experimenting on BIPOC. Ecology exploiting indigenous groups. Climate change impacts disproportionately impacting BIPOC, etc.

What does this mean?

• Historical context is critical to understanding the evolution of ideas, but readers should not be left with the sense that all of the science within a particular concept has been done. Stories of modern scientists and recent research that makes use of or deepens our understanding of the main concepts in the module should be included in the text.

Examples and references:

• Statistics in Science (several connections to modern research and applications).
• Social media is a great place to find modern scientists/research, with the bonus that students can follow them later. Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, are all full of scientists (especially Twitter)! Hashtags like #BlackInSTEM #BlackInChem etc. Also, groups likeSACNAS andBEYAare good places to start.

What does this mean?

• Headings are used to create a table of contents; it should be clear from the headings what the reader should expect to read about in that section.

Tool:

Reverse outlining can help assess this.

What does this mean?

• Graphics may include figures from published literature where appropriate, and/or tables, graphs, and images developed specifically for the module. When developed for the module they should be scientifically accurate and include authentic data.

Examples and references:

Figures from the literature:History of Earth's Atmosphere I 

Figures created for the module (Figures 2, 4, 6):Factors that control Earth's temperature

What does this mean?

• Text and examples are current at the time of publication. 
• Scientific articles are cited in the text and included in the reference section; other non-cited references are included in the resources section.

Examples and references:

TheModeling in Scientific Research module includes several cited scientific studies.

What does this mean?

• Quiz questions may include graphs, tables, equations, or other images that prompt students to analyze and/or interpret data or models. Multiple choice responses to these questions should be based on real and common errors.

Examples and references:

The Using Graphs and Visual Data quizasks students to apply the skills they learned in the module to new graphs.

What does this mean?

• Multiple choice questions should include a range of cognitive levels, not all recall or identification. Questions can include images (graphs, etc.) and ask readers to analyze or interpret using the skills and practices described in the text.

Examples and references:

Explanations and examples for crafting quiz questions for a variety of cognition levels.

What does this mean?

• Comprehension checkpoints should make the reader reflect back on the content they just read; the questions do not need to be at a high cognitive level to be meaningful.

Examples and references:

Consider inviting the reader to make observations that support the content (e.g. putting finger over a straw to hold in liquid and asking the reader to think about how that relates back to what they read on forces).

What does this mean?

• External resources can provide opportunities for readers to explore concepts in more depth, apply their understanding, learn more about the scientists and other people in the module, and or otherwise apply and expand their learning.

Examples and references:

Pay attention to theweb domain.

What does this mean?

• All of the components of the module are in alignment.

Tool:

Reverse outlining can help assess this