Learning progressions are models of how students' understanding of scientific concepts develops over multiple grade levels from novice to expert-like understanding. They are based on research on how students typically learn topics and are designed to guide instruction and assessment to track students' developing understanding over time. This document discusses the motivation for developing a learning progression on environmental literacy, the theoretical framework around scientific practices, and highlights from the progression including its interdisciplinary nature and levels of understanding from notions to generation of new ideas. It also raises questions about how to further develop and validate learning progressions.

1. Learning Progressions: A Discussion Ravit Golan Duncan Rutgers University

2. Learning Progressions What are they (nature of LP) Why we need them (motivation) How do we build them

3. Commonalities Progression over larger time units Deepening of ideas and level of sophistication (conceptual framework) Change in terms of what kids can do over time (performances) Based on research on student learning

4. Contrast to standards Propositional Limited research base Organization is problematic, and too many ideas Not conducive to design of assessments that track student learning over time. Older content Performance More extensive research based Organization based on big ideas/practices Leads to development of assessments that can evaluate progression Strives for cutting edge

5. Differences Motivation- what was the driving force to develop the progression Nature of progression- what does it mean to move along the progression The “stuff” of progressions- what are the big ideas? How do we know what we know? Building progressions Questions that remain

6. Motivation Environmental literacy- informed and active citizenry

7. Environmental literacy Theoretical Framework-Key Practices for Literacy (1) Scientific inquiry: developing and evaluating scientific arguments from evidence, (2) Scientific accounts: using scientific accounts of the material world, (3) Application: using scientific accounts as tools to predict and explain, and (4) Citizenship: using scientific reasoning for responsible citizenship.

8. Motivation Environmental literacy- informed and active citizenry Students superficial understanding of current school science content (standards-based)

9. Motivation Students who can write this equation for combustion: CH 4 + 2O 2 CO 2 + 2H 2 O often cannot answer: "When a house burns to the ground and only a few pieces of charred wood and ashes are left, what happens to the rest of the mass of the house?” (AAAS Project 2061 conference 2001)

10. Motivation Environmental literacy- informed and active citizenry Students superficial understanding of current school science content (standards-based) Integrate cutting edge science into curriculum; Discrepancy between Atlas progressions and understandings students need for nano-scale science (as well as science education research on student learning, learning not linear)

11. Motivation Based on Benchmarks , AAAS developed a progression of concepts for several aspects of the ‘Structure of Matter’ Rather linear and ordered progression Forces & Interactions Properties of Matter Conservation of Matter States of Matter Atoms & Molecules Chemical Reactions

12. Nature of Progression Developing practices of environmental literacy- understanding and using environmental science to make decisions at different levels (apply principles to different systems) Progress along model from novice to expert- notions- recognition - formulation- construction -generation Making connections- developing web of interconnected ideas

13. The “Stuff” of Progressions Interdisciplinary- coupled human and natural systems life, physical and earth science ideas Tightly woven with inquiry and practices of responsible citizenship From observations to models and theories Applying fundamental principles to processes in systems (carbon and water cycles; systems) Democratic participation and reconciling values and consequences

14. The “Stuff” of Progressions 5 Generation : Research 4 Construction : Examining assumptions, relating models 3 Formulation : Relating ideas and concepts, simple models 2 Recognition : Language, definitions, symbols algorithms 1 Notions : Everyday experience, logical reasoning novice expert student understanding Progress variables linked to curriculum

15. The “Stuff” of Progressions I. Notions II. Recognition III. Formulation Student levels of understanding Stuff happens Solid, liquid, gas Chemical equations, conservation of mass (atoms/stuff/grams) Atomic symbols, octet rule Change Matter number mole mass macro particulate conservation

16. The “Stuff” of Progressions An intricate web of interconnected concepts Multidimensional States of Matter Forces & Interactions Properties of Matter Chemical Reactions Conservation of Matter Atoms & Molecules

17. How do we know? Prior research literature Pre-post tests across multiple grades (traditional instruction) Short intervention experiments Developing carefully designed assessments to gauge learning performances Tracking individual student progress over time Interviews with individuals of varying levels of expertise

18. Common Students Difficulties Connecting across levels/ contexts/representations (atom vs. electron diagram, dry ice vs.. match, hierarchical) Reasoning about invisible stuff (ground water) Mechanisms and processes (ground water transport) Vernacular interference / leverage (match vs. fat) Model and theory-based reasoning

19. Questions Nature of progression: Path/ paths/ landscapes? Nature of movement -cycles, multiple states Context dependence Nature of learning performances: Integrate big ideas and practices Quantifiable variables that measure learning outcomes Nature of evidence: Can we really rely on short terms studies, will we (and if so when) need to actually follow student learning over grades? Wont instruction fundamentally change what students can do , and therefore the progression Challenges for teaching

20. Questions you had What are essential attributes (nature & stuff) How do we track student learning (tomorrow) Language to describe LPs- What are they exactly? (what sort of framework) Link between LPs and instruction LPs impact of teaching and PD How does an LP deal with external (prior) knowledge