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Testimony given to NM STT Committee on K-12 Education 2013 09
- 1. K-12 STEM Education @ UNM Vanessa Svihla, PhD vsvihla@unm.edu Assistant Professor Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, and Policy Secondary Science September 6th, 2013
- 2. Ancient Sumer Classroom Early American Classroom
- 3. What does science instruction look like right now? • New Mexico has pretty good science standards – NM teachers tend to let textbooks- aligned to TX or CA- drive instruction – TX and CA do not have good standards.... • reading from text book • direct instruction • worksheets • a few “cookbook” labs • very little science instruction in elementary
- 4. The Importance of early years for STEM • Interest is NOT the problem • programs can increase interest but not affect pipeline (Zarske, 2007) • STEM identity • Building capacity – review of 240 papers on K-12 EE – Inquiry oriented engineering programs show gains in science & mathematics achievement
- 5. “The real STEM crisis is one of literacy: the fact that today’s students are not receiving a solid grounding in science, math, and engineering.”
- 7. • Science and Engineering • A focus on core ideas, cross-cutting concepts, practices – Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) – Developing and using models – Planning and carrying out investigations – Analyzing and interpreting data – Using mathematics and computational thinking – Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) – Engaging in argument from evidence – Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
- 8. What works
- 9. IES & the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
- 10. What can we learn from WWC? • GEMS® Space Science Sequence > direct instruction • GEMS® The Real Reasons for Seasons < direct instruction ???
- 11. What can we learn from WWC? • Professional development matters! • Guided inquiry > direct instruction • Connecting to everyday understanding works • but... it depends on what you mean by “works” – This will change under NGSS – Distributed practice and testing support learning of facts and concepts, not practices, how to think
- 12. What else works? • Explicit feedback matters • Effort and perseverance > IQ – (also, IQ is not a real thing) • Failure can be productive for later learning and success • STEM activities need to spark intellectual curiosity
- 13. How can we accomplish this? • Project-based and problem-based learning – spark intellectual curiosity – connect to everyday experience – narrow achievement gaps
- 14. What doesn’t work? • Learning Styles are not real • Multiple Intelligences is NOT backed by research • Right-brained/Left-brained is not real • Whole-brained and brain-based fads are not back by research • “Brain-training” does not work • Approaches that cause disinterest/disconnections
- 17. Funding: 2012 UNM TAG, USDA NIFA HSI #2012-38422-19836 Interactive Learning Assessment A collaboration between nutrition teacher education, compute r science, and IFDM
- 19. Performance Assessments are Rich and Robust: a Collaboratory with NMPAN, in conversation with PED
- 20. How would you design a home for a world with 10 billion people?
- 21. How can we make K-12 STEM better? • Project- and Problem-Based Instruction that engages students in authentic intellectual work • Performance assessments that support learning & make development toward mastery visible рвый блин всегда мом • High quality, sustained professional development that values teacher adaptation over fidelity of implementation • Commitment to sustaining new practices, nurturing them beyond implementation dips
Editor's Notes
- Greetings. I am Dr. Vanessa Svihla, an assistant professor in secondary science teacher education. I prepare pre-service teachers, support in-service teachers, and engage in research on STEM teaching and learning. I direct the Interaction and Disciplinary Design in Educational Activity – or IDDEA- Lab.https://sites.google.com/site/iddealab/home
- A lot has changed since Ancient education. We added desks! In fact, the physical spaces of typical classrooms are largely unchanged since ancient times. Stepping into many classrooms feels like stepping back in time; there may be only one or two computers- often extremely outdated ones.
- What does K-12 STEM look like? New Mexico has pretty good standards that are not so different from the NGSS, but NM teachers tend to let textbooks- which are aligned to TX or CA standards- drive instruction. TX and CA do not have good standards, they have a lot of standards, meaning teachers may have to cover 4-8 standards per day. Current science instruction looks like reading from text books, filling in worksheets, and doing a few “cookbook” labs. Why is a cookbook lab a problem? It doesn’t show students what science actually looks like, and it reinforces the idea that we already know everything. It sends the message that there are no unanswered questions; it stifles intellectual curiosity. In elementary, there is very little science instruction, particularly in high poverty, and low achieving schools. This is a social justice issue New Mexico needs to solve.
- Interest is NOT the problem; we can get people interested in STEM at at point. Research has demonstrated that while necessary, increasing interest is not enough to affect the pipeline (Zarske, 2007). We need to build STEM identity in our students so they can envision themselves as scientists. We need to build capacity. How? In my review of 240 papers on K-12 EE for the National Academies, we found that inquiry-oriented engineering programs lead to gains in science & mathematics achievement.National Research Council Committee on K-12 Engineering Education (Ed.). (2009). Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.Petrosino, A. J., Svihla, V., & Brophy, S. P. (2008). Engineering skills for understanding and improving K-12 engineering education in the United States. (pp. 92): National Academy of Engineering Committee on Understanding and Improving K-12 Engineering Education in the United States.Svihla, V., Marshall, J., & Petrosino, A. J. (2008). K-12 engineering education impacts National Academy of Engineering Committee on Understanding and Improving K-12 Engineering Education in the United States.Svihla, V., & Petrosino, A. J. Improving our understanding of K-12 engineering education. In International Conference on Engineering Education: New Challenges in Engineering Education and Research in the 21st Century, Hungary, 2008Zarske, M., Yowell, J. L., Sullivan, J. F., Knight, D., & Wiant, D. The TEAMS Program: A Study of a Grades 3-12 Engineering Continuum. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Honolulu, HI, June 24-27 2007
- President Obama announced in December a Cross-Agency Priority goal to increase the number of STEM graduates by one million over the next decade. A recent report summarizes actual data about the supposed shortage of STEM workers, finding no evidence of pending shortfalls. The report notes that there is a science literacy crisis; our students are not getting access to STEM curricula that develop science literacy in the general population. With the grand challenges we will face in the future- such as over-population and climate change, it is critical to have an informed populace. However, the report fails to take into consideration the importance of diversity for the future of STEM innovation. This is where New Mexico can have real impact by preparing a diverse cadre of STEM professionals. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/12/18/one-decade-one-million-more-stem-graduateshttp://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/education/the-stem-crisis-is-a-myth
- There are well documented pathways toward and away from STEM careers. We know that students who are not interested are unlikely to pursue STEM. We also know that some students are interested, well advised, well prepared, and have a vision of what a STEM career would be like. Maybe dad is an engineer, or mom is a mathematician. When they reach tough coursework that gate keeps STEM careers, they persevere, because they know the good stuff lies ahead. We also know that some students get interested, but are poorly advised, don’t take enough math or science, or don’t do well enough in it, and when faced with tough courses, they don’t persevere because they don’t know something better lies ahead. Some students love being good at problem sets, and finding the RIGHT answer. They persevere through those tough courses because they are good at solving simple problems. When faced with the complexity of actual STEM work, they leave the profession. The questions then, are: How can we develop interest, provide good advisement, and help students understand actual STEM Practices?Stevens, R., O’Connor, K., Garrison, L., Jocuns, A., & Amos, D. M. (2008). Becoming an engineer: Toward a three dimensional view of engineering learning. Journal of Engineering Education, 97(3), 355-368.
- The leverage point is the new Next Generation Science Standards, which bring a focus on engineering, and are a movement away from the mile-wide inch-deep curricula, instead taking deep dives to develop understanding of core ideas and cross-cutting themes. They also bring a string focus on practices. Two practices in particular are not happening currently: asking questions and planning investigations. Typically the teacher or curricula provide these, but these skills are critical for developing intellectual curiosity about the world around us and engaging critically.
- So, what works? How will we do this?
- We can turn to the What Works Clearinghouse, but there we find only a handful of studies of Science Education meet the criteria set by IES. So, a caveat about their criteria. They only view randomized controlled trials as “scientific.” As a former geologist who continues to collaborate with scientists, I must admit I find this perplexing; scientists use many methods yet still view their work as scientific! IES has chosen a particular piece of medical model research to hold up as the gold standard. However, in education, there is no placebo, making this an awkward model for much of our work. Furthermore, the supposed gold standard of research is somewhat rare even in medical research; for instance, in clinical trials, if the patient has other options for treatment and is randomly enrolled into the control group, ethically, he or she must be informed of this. Another caveat is related to context: New Mexico is different from other states. Very little research has been conducted in rural settings. When we ask “what works” we need to consider, does this seem like it will work in our context? We should also ask, will this work for us now. How trustworthy would you find a study about how students learn using the internet, if it was published in 1997? http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
- Two curricula developed by GEMS- Great Explorations in Math and Science- met the IES criteria. The Space Science Sequence was shown to have a positive effect on achievement, but the Real Reasons for the Seasons had a negative effect on achievement, compared to direct instruction. These curricula were developed using the same process and approach, so what is different? Why would one work and the other not work? The Space Science Sequence included professional development, but the other did not. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/findwhatworks.aspx
- So, what can we learn from the 5 studies in the Clearinghouse? First, professional development matters. Second, guided inquiry is better than direct instruction when teachers are supported. Third, connecting to everyday experience and understanding is critical- especially for English Language Learners and underrepresented minority students. But... it depends on what you mean by “works.” This will change under NGSS because we now focus on college and career readiness, and STEM practices. Past research has mostly measured learning of facts and concepts. For instance, we know from approximately 300 experimental studies that distributing study sessions over time and testing support learning of facts and concepts. Recent research has shown that this does not support learning practices in science classrooms. Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. (2009). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning: New York: Worth Publishers.Rohrer, D., & Pashler, H. (2010). Recent Research on Human Learning Challenges Conventional Instructional Strategies. Educational Researcher, 39(5), 406-412.Schwartz, D. L., & Bransford, J. D. (1998). A Time for Telling. Cognition and Instruction, 16(4), 475-522.Svihla, V., & Linn, M. C. (2012). Distributing Practice: Challenges and Opportunities for Inquiry Learning. Paper presented at the 10th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS2012): The Future of Learning, Sydney, July 2-6
- Explicit feedback matters. It can be positive or negative, but it needs to be specific and explicit in order for students to use it. Effort and perseverance are more important than IQ, which, by the way, was recently shown to not be a real thing.Failure can be productive for later learning and success, but students need to understand that learning is prioritized over being right. Most schools operate on a theory of knowing rather than a theory of learning; this is unsurprisingly detrimental to learning. STEM activities need to spark intellectual curiosity, not just be “hands-on” and fun. Our students deserve intellectually engaging curricula. Feedback: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practice_guides/20072003.pdf#page=23Hampshire, A., Highfield, Roger R., Parkin, Beth L., & Owen, Adrian M. (2012). Fractionating Human Intelligence. Neuron, 76(6), 1225-1237, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.06.022.Underwood, J. S., & Tregidgo, A. P. (2010). Improving Student Writing Through Effective Feedback: Best Practices and Recommendations. Journal of Teaching Writing, 22(2), 73-98.Spiegel, A. (2012). Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/11/12/164793058/struggle-for-smarts-how-eastern-and-western-cultures-tackle-learningKapur, M., & Bielaczyc, K. (2011). Designing for Productive Failure. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 21(1), 45-83.
- Guided Inquiry typically involves either project- or problem based learning. These approaches spark intellectual curiosity, they connect to everyday experience, and they have been shown to narrow achievement gaps.Furtak, E. M., Seidel, T., Iverson, H., & Briggs, D. C. (2012). Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Studies of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 82(3), 300-329.Geier, R., Blumenfeld, P. C., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Fishman, B., Soloway, E., et al. (2008). Standardized test outcomes for students engaged in inquiry‐based science curricula in the context of urban reform. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(8), 922-939.Strobel, J., & Van Barneveld, A. (2009). When is PBL more effective? A meta-synthesis of meta-analyses comparing PBL to conventional classrooms. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 3(1), 4.Walker, A., & Leary, H. (2009). A problem based learning meta analysis: Differences across problem types, implementation types, disciplines, and assessment levels. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 3(1), 6.
- So, what doesn’t work? First, research has overwhelmingly shown that Learning Styles are not real, are not effective, and there is no reason teachers should attempt to use them. Multiple Intelligences is NOT backed by research. The idea that students are Right or Left-brained is not real. Whole-brained and brain-based fads are not back by research. “Brain-training” does not work. Any approachthat cause disinterest or disconnections is not effective. This includes most of what we see happening in classrooms now. Often, those in charge of selecting professional development for teachers do not have the needed expertise to make good choices. Dembo, M., & Howard, K. (2007). Advice about the use of learning styles: A major myth in education. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 37, 2.Geake, J. (2008). Neuromythologies in education. Educational Research, 50(2), 123-133.Gutierrez, K. D., & Rogoff, B. (2003). Cultural ways of learning: Individual traits or repertoires of practice. Educational Researcher, 32(5), 19–25.Landrum, T. J., & McDuffie, K. A. (2010). Learning styles in the age of differentiated instruction. Exceptionality, 18(1), 6-17.Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning Styles. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105.Pasquinelli, E. (2012). Neuromyths: Why Do They Exist and Persist? Mind, Brain, and Education, 6(2), 89-96.Riener, C., & Willingham, D. (2010). The myth of learning styles. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 42(5), 32-35.Stahl, S. (1999). Different Strokes for Different Folks? A Critique of Learning Styles. American Educator, 23(3), 27-31.Zinn, T. E. (2010). The Pleasures and Lessons of Academic Mythbusting: An Interview With Scott Lilienfeld. Teaching of Psychology, 37(4), 287-293.http://adrianowen.org/site/Test_Your_Brain.html
- As faculty at a research institution, it is expected that we divide our time between research, teaching, and service. Research is a vital component of effective teaching, because it allows us to stay current with new findings, to leverage recent research on how people learn, and to contribute to NM through the broader impacts of out research.
- We are presenting our findings at national and international conferences, showcasing the intellectual and cultural resources of our great state!
- We received a grant from the USDA HSI program. In the United States, fewer than 3 percent of registered dietitians are Hispanic. We know that in our Nutrition program, students leave because they don’t see the content they are learning as useful in the real world. A disproportionate number of students who leave the program are Latino or Native American. We also know that high school students don’t know much about dietetics as a career option, yet many of them are interested in becoming health professionals. To jointly address these needs, we are developing interactive learning assessments, that lets students provide counsel to virtual clients while learning content. Unlike traditional assessments which pause learning, ILAs allow students to be assessed while they are learning, providing information on what students know as well as on how they learn. Once developed, this system will be useable for other STEM subjects, allowing students to learn practices as they are assessed. ---Administrative PI Elizabeth Yakes is faculty in the College of Education, in Nutrition. For more about ILA, visit https://sites.google.com/site/iddealab/iddea-lab-projects/interactive-learning-assessment
- This past summer, with funding from the NSF, we brought 14 teachers from around NM to campus. They spent 6 weeks working in engineering labs and developed projects to teach with in their classrooms, bring real STEM practices to their schools. This effective approach to Professional Development will impact approximately 1000 students directly this year alone, and as these teachers present their work, disseminate their curricula, and engage their colleagues, the reach will be much greater. However, there are also barriers. One of our teachers from a BIE school who’d been teaching 3rd grade for nearly a decade found out a week before school began that she would instead be teaching 7th grade. This is sadly common in NM. It sets up our teachers and students to fail.
- With funding from the College of Education and Office of the Provost, we developed a Collaboratory with the New Mexico Performance Assessment Network and are providing support to the PED as they develop and roll out performance assessments for non-tests grades and subjects across NM. Our work was featured on the front page of the Albuquerque Journal earlier this week. For more about this project, please visit https://sites.google.com/site/iddealab/iddea-lab-projects/parrhttp://www.abqjournal.com/256943/news/finding-a-new-way-to-measure-learning.html
- I collaborate with Dr. Jeff Wilson, environmental scientist and Dean at Huston-Tillotson, a Historically Black University, on the DUMPSTER Project. Our team is Developing Underutilized Methods for Promoting Sustainable, Transformative Education & Research, driven by the question, How would you design a home for a world with 10 billion people?, a predicted population by the year 2050. Dr. Wilson’s answer? Move into a dumpster and ask k-12 students to help him turn it into a sustainable home. This provocative approach to interdisciplinary STEM education will engage students in Texas and NM in intellectually complex and authentic learning. http://dumpsterproject.org/
- So, how can we improve K-12 STEM education? Project- and Problem-Based Instruction that engages students in authentic intellectual work and STEM practices as called for in the NGSS. Assessment drives instruction. This means we also need performance assessments that support learning & make development toward mastery visible. There is a Russian idiom Пе́рвыйблинвсегда́ ко́мом which translates as “The first pancake is always a lump.” When we try something new, we often perform WOSRE before we get better. This is called an implementation dip. Boeing understood this when they committed to moving to composites. They anticipated worse performance initially. They provided extensive professional development for their employees and it was informed by research on how people learn. In schools, innovations typically last through one attempt. Each year, there is a new innovation. When we ask teachers to teach in a new way, we need to anticipate- just like Boeing– that they will do worse before they get better. If we want to see lasting improvement, we need to provide sustained professional development that sees teachers move past implementation dips. Good PD also respects the expertise and experience of the teacher, allowing for productive adaptations that fit in our NM classrooms. Barab, S. A., & Luehmann, A. L. (2003). Building sustainable science curriculum: Acknowledging and accommodating local adaptation. Science Education, 87(4), 454-467.Brown, M., & Edelson, D. (2003). Teaching as design: Can we better understand the ways in which teachers use materials so we can better design materials to support their changes in practice. Design Brief. Evanston, IL: Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools.Fullan, M. (2002). The change. Educational Leadership, 59(8), 16-20.Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945.Newmann, F. M., King, M. B., & Carmichael, D. L. (2007). Authentic instruction and assessment. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Department of Education.Penuel, W. R., Fishman, B. J., Yamaguchi, R., & Gallagher, L. P. (2007). What makes professional development effective? Strategies that foster curriculum implementation. American Educational Research Journal, 44(4), 921-958.