This document discusses the history and development of science education in the United States. It covers major reforms from the 1950s to present day, including early federal projects in the 1950s-60s, challenges in the 1970s, concerns over national performance in the 1980s, and the emergence of standards-based reforms in the 1990s-2000s in response to concerns over competitiveness. The document also briefly discusses how views of science have evolved with new fields emerging and the increasing role of technology.

1. CHAPTER 1: Science
Learning Past/Present
Karina Verduzco

2. Scientific Evolvment

3.  U.S. students fare poorly – peers of other Countries
 Large achievement gap: majority students- economically
disadvantaged- Non Asian minority persist
 Trends in achievement; deadline of NLCB
 NCLB- state level assessments 2007-2008 for Science
 In the end: Concerned effort to examine and improve
Science Education
After 15 yrs……

4.  1950-1960s 1st federal foray of summer institutes’ &
curriculum development projects
 1970 challenges raised through programs
 NSF sponsored teacher development.. Ceased to operate
 1980s policy makers examine K-12 rates, declare nation
“ at risk”!
 Increase high school requirements in science
 Crises continue to influence
Historical Context

5.  Cold War: scientific productivity essential to security
and federal spending on rise
 Goal was to broaden/deepen the understanding of
scientific knowledge, inquiry, institutions
 NSF 1964 sponsored 20 K-12 projects
 Physical Science Committee, Earth Science
Curriculum Study, Chemstudy
Legacy Science Reform

6.  NSF curricula called for “active learner”, engaged
hands on activities
 Process skills: making
observations, measurements, hypothesis, designing
and carrying out experiments
 Science Curriculum Improvement Study->

7.  Learning Cycle: * explore concept (lab
exp)*conceptual convention st/t derive from data
during classroom discussion * concept application
 1960s reform mixed, curricula pushed
educators, proved to be more complex and overall
underestimated students: prior
knowledge, ideas, impact of st/t inquiry, challenge
improving science

8.  RR- 20 yr decline in K-12 science/math; direct harm
of American economy/ standard living
 Standards:
content, instruction, assessment, professional
development
 2 Guiding Frameworks : Benchmarks for Science
Literacy, National Education Standards
Emergence of Standards-based
Reform

9.  Progressed since first NSF Curriculum
 Since 1960s philosophers have challenged “what is
science, how doe it operate?”
 Scholars: social/ technical
 New emergences: geophysics, nanoscience, computational
biology
 E.G- automobile repairs such as gas compression, combustion
now governed by micro comp
 Background knowledge used to apply new knowledge
Recent Development in Science