Characterization of curriculum materials to support NGSS-aligned engineering instruction in chemistry teaching

Curriculum materials can play a major role in shaping teachers’ thinking about instruction and content as well as serve as a support for teachers’ learning. With the inclusion of engineering in NGSS, many teachers may be turning to existing curriculum materials to help them infuse engineering into their science classroom, especially when they do not have the time or opportunity for professional development sessions. In this study, we identified a sample of curriculum materials freely available online to chemistry teachers trying to incorporate engineering in the topics of stoichiometry and/or energy, common topics in secondary chemistry curricula. Using qualitative coding methods, we examined what this sample had to offer the chemistry teachers in the way of developing their understanding of engineering and teaching it. Our findings indicate that within our sample there are limited existing curriculum materials to support teachers’ engineering incorporation into secondary chemistry, and the support for teachers varied in terms of content and usefulness across the materials. The materials provided procedural information for activities but lacked in supports for teacher learning and student development beyond the procedure. Implications for the enactment of NGSS in secondary science along with needs for curriculum development and teacher learning are discussed.     

What does it mean to critique? An exploration of the types of critiques promoted in seventh-grade mathematics curriculum and assessment materials

While research in mathematics education has shown that mathematics assessments are highly consequential, traditional assessments often lag behind advancements in instructional methods. One such advancement is the promotion of mathematical habits of mind such as students' abilities to critique others' reasoning. This study explored the use of student work embedded in seventh-grade curriculum-based mathematics assessment tasks as a mechanism for critiquing others' thinking. The researcher investigated the prevalence and nature of student work in assessment tasks as compared to textbook tasks from five seventh-grade, Common Core State Standards for Mathematics-aligned curriculum series. The text analyses findings revealed that while there were multiple critique types in student work across both assessment and textbook tasks, there were substantial differences between students' opportunities to make sense of someone else's mathematical thinking in curriculum-based assessments as compared to the student textbooks. These findings reinforced prior curriculum and assessment research that found assessment often lags behind instructional methods.     

Development of elementary teachers' science,technology, engineering,arts, and mathematics planning practices

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand elementary teachers' planning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum during a two-year professional development experience. This research was guided by the following question: What planning practices developed or changed during a professional development experience? Analysis of 25 teachers' planning documents indicated growth in the following areas: (a) tighter alignment to fewer standards, (b) more meaningful integration and broader definitions of arts and technology, and (c) increased use of formative assessment but persistent difficulties in summatively assessing the multiple disciplines of STEAM. The growth in teachers' STEAM instruction from the beginning to the end of this two-year professional development was important in building our understanding of what constitutes sound design of STEAM inquiries.     

‘Post‐financial meltdown: What do the services industries need from us now?’ by Roger W. Hoerl and Ronald D. Snee: Discussion 1

Roger Hoerl and Ron Snee have done the statistical profession a major favor in providing their vision of what statisticians need to do to help service industries in the post‐meltdown environment. In this discussion, I briefly flesh out my understanding of the actions that statisticians must take to help service industries in the current and future environment. I then turn to a consideration of what I see as some of the significant weaknesses in current statistical curricula in preparing graduates to fulfill these new emerging needs. I conclude by making concrete proposals for some elements of a process for curricular reform. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高校本科化学和应用化学专业人才培养中专业课程的设置研究

大学教育中专业课程设置是实现专业人才培养目标的核心。通过调研国内外部分高校本科化学和应用化学专业的专业基础课程、专业核心课程和专业延伸课程的设置情况,提出了本科化学类专业人才培养中合理设置3个层次课程的依据和建议,明确了专业课程结构,为制定本科化学类专业的人才培养方案提供了参考,对指导和促进化学类专业人才的培养具有重要意义。     

开展化学实验活动表现评价的尝试

化学实验活动表现评价对于提高中学化学实验教学质量,全面落实培养学生科学素养的目标,具有其他实验评价方式不可替代的特殊作用。目前国内外对于化学实验活动表现评价的研究比较匮乏,本文对构建新课程背景下的化学实验活动表现评价指标及其应用进行了探讨。     

县域“高中化学名师发展基地项目”的探索与实践

为落实《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要》,提升教师专业素养,肥城市教体局与北京师范大学化学学院签订“高中化学名师发展基地项目”,围绕高中教师特别关注的教材教法、课程衔接、科普教育、教研与论文写作、高考指导等主题,形成了“教学研训立体化”的高中化学教师培训体系,提升了高中化学教师的整体教育教学水平,培养出一批教学名师,催生出县域高中与优质高师教育共建教师研训共同体新样态。     

新时代中等职业教育化学基础课改革趋势研究*

为了贯彻落实《国家职业教育改革实施方案》,教育部颁布的《中等职业学校公共基础课程方案》进一步确立了中等职业学校化学基础课的地位和作用。系统研究了新时代中等职业教育面临的形势与任务、化学基础课改革历程以及化学课程标准凸显出的中职化学课程改革的新理念,并分析了新课标对中职化学教师的新要求。     

关于化学课程中"能力培养"问题的思考

本文依据20世纪70年代以来国家统一颁布的化学教学大纲为线索,从课程发展的角度对我国中学化学课程中能力培养的问题进行了探讨。文章重点考察了以下3个问题：教学大纲中关于能力的提法、能力要素的确定、能力培养和科学探究的联系与区别。     

化学学院专业介绍——化学生物学专业

南开大学是国内最早建立化学生物学学科、最早开展化学生物学本科生和研究生培养的高校之一。南开大学化学学院从2012年开始招收化学生物学专业本科生,迄今为止培养了5届共98名毕业生;经过多年教学实践,在化学生物学专业人才培养方面积累了经验,取得了一定成效。介绍了南开大学化学学院化学生物学本科专业的基本情况、课程设置、培养特色和目标、育人成效等。