BSCS Science Learning
Project Title
As a final general support grant
Date
Dec. 14, 2023
Duration
21 months
Description
Science education, like other areas in the K-12 education field lacks coherent implementation of innovations that lead to improvements in student outcomes. Curriculum, assessment, teacher learning, organizational change, and policy are frequently siloed from each other by people and organizations. This expertise and knowledge are also not easily accessible by the school districts that need it most. For over sixty years, BSCS Science Learning has been working on the challenge of implementing meaningful reform that substantially improves student outcomes, fosters a coherent system, and sustains after the initial investment ends. Through this general support grant, BSCS will continue to improve implementation of high-quality instructional materials and curriculum-based professional learning, develop performance assessment tasks for high school biology, as well as iterate on their business model to continue offering integrated, systemic services to schools and districts to improve outcomes for students in science education.
Website
Project Title
For general support
Date
Sep. 15, 2022
Duration
15 months
Description
Science education, like many areas in the K-12 education field, is fragmented and lacks coherent implementation of innovations that lead to improvements in student outcomes. Curriculum, assessment, teacher learning, organizational change, and policy are frequently siloed from each other by people and organizations who only have expertise in one of these components. This expertise and knowledge are also not easily accessible by the school districts that need it most. BSCS Science Learning transforms science education through research-driven innovations to overcome the challenges of compartmentalization and concentration of knowledge that is a barrier to a coherent system. Through this general support grant, BSCS will improve implementation of high-quality instructional materials and curriculum-based professional learning and develop a theory of action to implement reform.
Website
Project Title
For increasing the demand for high-quality science instructional materials in two states
Date
Mar. 08, 2018
Duration
41 months
Description
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for an approach to science teaching and learning that is more demanding and very different from the approach common in classrooms today. Although over half the U.S. student population is in states that have either adopted the NGSS or adopted new standards influenced by the NGSS, educational systems are generally unprepared to implement the NGSS. As a result, it is critical to focus on effective NGSS implementation. This grant will support the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) in its work on three key NGSS implementation needs: (1) teachers needing access to high-quality professional learning and instructional materials; (2) professional development providers and teacher leaders needing access to resources, tools, and processes to build capacity for NGSS implementation; and (3) schools and districts needing opportunities to provide well-designed professional learning to their teachers and adopt NGSS-aligned instructional materials.
Website
Project Title
For the development of tools and processes to select or adapt instructional materials to support the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and general support
Date
Mar. 02, 2017
Duration
15 months
Description
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require an approach to science teaching and learning that is substantially more demanding than what is required by former science standards. Building on prior Corporation support, BSCS proposes to carry out two areas of related work: 1) an iterative process of developing, testing, and disseminating models for increasing awareness and use of the Five Tools and Processes for Translating the NGSS into Classroom Instruction and Assessment (Five Tools) and 2) an iterative process to design, develop, and disseminate the Analyzing Instructional Materials Tools and Process (AIM) for Next Generation Science Standards (NextGen AIM). Additionally, BSCS will design processes to help professional development leaders construct learning activities and engage teachers in using these tools.
Website
Project Title
For the development of tools and processes to advance understanding and implementation of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Date
Sep. 08, 2016
Duration
10 months
Description
Established in 1958 by a grant from the National Science Foundation, the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) has a long history of developing materials and services, and conducting educational research and evaluation. In order to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), teachers and leaders require resources to help them understand the standards and high quality instructional materials that support this new approach to teaching and learning. This grant supports BSCS to develop and leverage tools and processes aimed at helping school and district educators to understand the NGSS and develop strategies to implement them, including resources on how to critically analyze instructional materials to ensure fidelity when planning for implementation.
Website
Project Title
Toward teaching science reading comprehension strategies on the Internet
Date
Jun. 11, 2009
Duration
26 months