State of School Science A Review of the Teaching of Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in American Schools, and Recommendations for Improvements. (1979) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 41-73
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From page 41... ...
The major NSF-supported curriculum studies were initiated primarily to deal with the fourth goal, to help increase the nation's scientific manpower. Because there were at the same time a number of other measures to that same end, it is impossible to say just how much the Course Content Improvement Program contributed to the growing numbers of scientists and engineers.
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From page 42... ...
A second example is provided by the new elementary school mathematics. It may have introduced young pupils to the field of mathematics in a manner thought befitting by mathematicians, but it did not succeed in encouraging students to become "friendly with numbers" and it left some of them unable to do the simple calculations of adult living.
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From page 43... ...
In the past, obtaining materials has presented a serious obstacle to the successful adoption of elementary science programs, for many of those programs utilize a large variety of expendable materials. Although commercially-prepared kits have been purchased by many school systems, elementary teachers, in particular, have found it difficult to order in advance all of the materials required to refurbish those kits so they may be used again.
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From page 44... ...
. The percentages of teachers expressing each need varied considerably, depending on the subjects taught and the age level of the pupils involved, but in total,large numbers of teachers said they wanted improvement in each of the following areas: • Opportunities to learn about new teaching materials.
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From page 45... ...
Science and Mathematics Teaching Resource Centers The findings of the three NSF studies indicate that teachers, principals, and superintendents all attest to a need for more assistance with the local implementation of course improvement programs in science and mathematics. Such assistance could be best provided by creating a network of science and mathematics teaching resource centers throughout the nation.
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From page 46... ...
The large number of elementary school teachers who must be reached points to the need for developing locally-based institutions which could focus on this task. The proposed science and mathematics teaching resource centers could assess local needs by arranging periodic meetings with key teachers, principals, and curriculum supervisors; organize meetings of parents and teachers to discuss recent developments in the teaching of science and mathematics; provide in-service workshops on science and mathematics instructional programs and methods; enlist the help of experts to speak on topics of special interest to teachers; and arrange for staff members to visit local schools periodically to ensure close communications with schools served by the centers.
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From page 47... ...
Considerable cost savings result from employing high school students to carry out many of the manufacturing operations necessary to assemble simple elementary science and mathematics apparatus, such as microscopes, balances, circuit boards, and trundle wheels. Additional savings are made by purchasing supplies in bulk, directly from manufacturers, and by reprocessing kits of instructional materials after each use so that they can be used by several elementary school classes each year.
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From page 48... ...
Although most essential for the elementary school level, similar teacher-training and materials-support services would also be of considerable assistance to junior high school science and mathematics teachers. After the elementary school teachers, junior high school teachers comprise the group which is most numerous and least adequately prepared to teach science and mathematics.
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From page 49... ...
The findings of the three NSF studies suggest that the proposed science and mathematics teaching resource centers would be enthusiastically supported by teachers, principals, and school system superintendents. Each new center would create a focus for the professional development of teachers; establish a mechanism by which teachers could have a voice in curriculum and materials design; and provide them with innovative instructional materials and moral support.
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From page 50... ...
The resource centers in Genessee Valley, New York and Fairfax County, Virginia operate their science materials support programs for elementary schools at a yearly cost of four to six dollars per student, depending upon the grade level and the number of new science units that are introduced in a given year. This cost represents less than onehalf percent of the total annual per pupil operating cost.
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From page 51... ...
The NSF case studies reported little evidence of the use of hands-on materials and found that fun and excitement were absent from almost all elementary mathematics classes. Although it is now generally accepted that firmer mathematical foundations are laid if children's numerical thinking is closely related to concrete perceptual experiences, elementary mathematics programs with such an emphasis are not common in elementary schools in the United States.
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From page 52... ...
Although it is not proposed that developers cease trying to involve students in the intrinsic delights of the pursuit of scientific knowledge, in the future an effort should be made to develop some course materials that have greater appeal to students who are not intensely interested in science. The problem is particularly acute at the junior and senior high school levels, where there is a current need for a junior high school applied physical science course, an activity-centered earth science course appropriate to the abilities and interests of the average ninth grader, and a general education chemistry course that is less mathematical than CHEM Study or CBA chemistry.
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From page 53... ...
If such materials were to be placed immediately in the public domain, even wider distribution could be accomplished through local reprintings at regional science and mathematics resource centers. Major curriculum development requires public funding for the familiar reason that the profit margins of textbook publishing do not generate the necessary capital.
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From page 54... ...
During the 1960's, 77 elementary and secondary school curriculum projects cost a total of $93.8 million, or an average of $1.22 million each (National Science Foundation, 1970)
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From page 55... ...
Each year, the schools have a significant turnover of science and mathematics teachers. In 1971, the average teaching experience of secondary school science teachers was between 10 and 11 years (Schlessinger, et al., 1973, p.
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From page 56... ...
The second objective has been both confused and criticized. The purpose has sometimes been described as stimulating the adoption of new curricular materials that had been developed with NSF support, and when so described has been justified as increasing the effectiveness of the courses developed under the NSF Course Content Improvement Program.
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From page 57... ...
The NSF statistical survey found 58 percent of the superintendents agreeing that federal support has improved the quality of curriculum alternatives available to schools, 66 percent believing continued federal support for curriculum development to be necessary, and 77 percent believing that NSF should continue to help teachers learn to implement NSF-funded curricula (Weiss, 1978, p.
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From page 58... ...
Although there can be no substitute for subject-area competence, the NSF statistical survey revealed that large numbers of teachers indicated a need for additional assistance in obtaining information about new instructional materials (43 percent) , learning new teaching methods (43 percent)
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From page 59... ...
The charge of undue interference in local curriculum selection decisions need not arise, for NSF funding of institutes with the original emphasis on the upgrading of individual teachers would allow NSF to remain at arm's length from the adoption of specific programs by specific school systems. After a school system has decided to introduce a particular new program, special training for the teachers is essential regardless of whether development of the new program has been supported with NSF funds.
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From page 60... ...
The Panel had extensive discussions on only one of the non-traditional educational agencies -- the science and technology centers that now constitute the most rapidly growing segment of the museum world. But two others should be mentioned, for although the Panel did not consider them in detail they will have to be given careful attention in future efforts to improve science education.
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From page 61... ...
The Panel would hope that in the future the educational value of these technologies will be assessed objectively, giving full consideration to both costs and benefits, so that their most appropriate uses in children's science and mathematics education can be identified. Science and Technology Centers Many a visitor has come away from a museum, a planetarium, a zoo, an aquarium, or a science and technology center with a new interest, or an enhanced understanding of some scientific process or phenomenon.
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From page 62... ...
• Guided tours, work on projects that have educational value, a home and meeting place for amateur science clubs, and a variety of other activities, some for particular age groups and some designed to attract whole families. • Internships for elementary or high school teachers who want to learn more about science education and 62
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From page 63... ...
This concept will be discussed in more detail later, in the section entitled "The Needs of Special Groups". In some communities, the local science and technology center may be the best organizational base for a science and mathematics teaching resource center of the type described earlier.
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From page 64... ...
In some communities, the school systems of the region have found the local science and technology center to be so valuable that they regularly provide some support from school budgets. This is a relationship to be encouraged, for it gives both sides an on-going interest in developing the most educationally useful methods of collaboration between the formal school system and these non-school allies in improving science education.
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From page 65... ...
. At the graduate school level, the numbers of minorities receiving doctorates in scientific disciplines are even lower.
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From page 66... ...
Ways should be explored to increase the number of such role models on the science and mathematics faculties of secondary schools. However, minority group students and girls need contact with role models from scientific careers other than secondary school science or mathematics teaching.
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From page 67... ...
The fact that the task cannot be accomplished quickly should not deter us from continuing on what must necessarily be a long-term effort. RECOMMENDATION 5: In order to give women and members of racial or ethnic minority groups greater opportunity to become interested in and to prepare for careers in scientific and technical occupations, we recommend that scientists and engineers work with their local school systems to provide special lectures and classes; tours of local scientific, engineering, and technical facilities; opportunities to meet with appropriate role models; and other experiences intended to increase their motivation and to overcome their disadvantages in securing the education necessary for scientific and technical careers.
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From page 68... ...
. So the call arises for an end to social promotion, the abolition of frills and a reduction in the number of soft courses, for greater emphasis on the basics of reading, writing, and computation, for the use of standardized tests to determine whether students have attained minimum competency, and for increased accountability on the part of the schools.
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From page 69... ...
. An encouraging contrast to this report is the fact that some students now seem to recognize what has been happening; a recent survey conducted by Gallup Poll and the Kettering Foundation found many students saying that elementary school standards are too low and that classes are not sufficiently challenging.
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From page 70... ...
. There should be such a bank or reservoir of test items in each subject or major area included in the curriculum: in the sciences, and also in foreign languages, social studies, the arts, and all the rest.
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From page 71... ...
All of the test items should be publicly available, to teachers, parents, school children, to anyone who is interested. Unlike tests whose secrecy must be carefully preserved, there would be no danger in allowing students to examine the test bank.
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From page 72... ...
Tests for these uses are typically the same throughout the country, and care is exercised to keep the test items secret, at least until after the test has served its purpose. But neither national standardization nor secrecy are necessary for tests used to assess progress during the school year, to help diagnose areas of strength or weakness, to use as starting points for classroom discussion or other forms of teaching, or to determine when a student is ready to move to the next level or block of material, or is ready for promotion or graduation.
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From page 73... ...
In addition, in order to make available more desirable tests with which teachers can appraise the performance of their pupils, we recommend the creation, for each major subject, of a large bank of test items, of varied types and covering a wide range of skills and knowledge of the subject field. These test banks should be openly available to any teacher, school administrator, parent, child, or anyone else who is interested.
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