Organization(s): Horizon Research, Inc.
Funding agency: National Science Foundation
Program: Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
HRI Role: Research
Project Description
Operationalizing the Science and Engineering Practices (SCIOPS) aimed to identify key aspects of the science practices articulated in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)in order to develop and validate questionnaire items that could be used as an indicator of classroom coverage of the science practices. Although the NGSS provide a description of what students should be able to do by the end of each grade band in relation to a particular practice, there is currently limited guidance for educators on what these practices should “look like” in the classroom and lack of instrumentation to measure classroom coverage of the science content and practices. This project contributed to advancing knowledge about how the science practices could be integrated into science instruction, and how to measure student opportunity to engage in the practices.
Research Purpose
The project’s purpose was to develop two major products:
- A framework that operationalizes the science and engineering practices for different grade levels (i.e., early elementary, upper elementary, middle grades, and high school) and subject areas (e.g., biological sciences, chemistry, Earth sciences); and
- Selected-response survey items for measuring teacher use of the practices, along with a user manual that includes evidence of the items’ validity and reliability.
HRI Research Staff
Eric R. Banilower (PI)
Joan D. Pasley (co-PI)
Peggy J. Trygstad (co-PI)
Products
Operationalizing the Science Practices
Instruments
Operationalizing the Science Practices TQ User Guide
