Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Chapter 7: Selecting Instructional Materials
Chapter 7: Selecting Instructional Materials
Pages 105-120
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From page 105... ...
Criteria for Contemporary Science Curriculum Before selecting specific materials to teach evolution and the nature of science, it is important to identify criteria that can help evaluate school science programs and the design of instructional materials. Chapter seven in the National Science Education Standards, "Science Education Program Standards," describes the conditions needed for quality school science programs.
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From page 106... ...
Although a curriculum cannot ensure support, it should address the nee(1 for support and provide indicators of support, such as provision of materials an(1 equipment for laboratory investigations, budget allocations for professional development, an proclamations by the school board. Clearly, no one curriculum thoroughly incorporates all ten criteria.
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From page 107... ...
To be both usable and defensible, the selection criteria must be few in number and embody the critical tenets of accurate science content, effective teaching strategies, and appropriate assessment techniques. The process described in the following pages can help teachers, curriculum designers, or other school personnel complete a thorough and accurate evaluation of instructional materials.
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From page 108... ...
On what fundamental concepts from Life Science Standard C or Earth and Space Science Standard D is the investigation focused? To what degree does the activity fulfill the intent of the fundamental concepts?
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From page 109... ...
Are opportunities provided for students to develop abilities of scientific inquiry such as posing their own relevant questions, planning and conducting investigations, using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data, using evidence to communicate defensibie explanations of cause and effect relationships, or using scientific criteria to analyze alternative explanations to determine a preferred explanation? Record page numbers where examples are found and make notes of explanation.
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1. Do the materials identify specific learning goals or outcomes for students that focus on one or more of the fundamental concepts of evolution ant!
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5. See National Science Education Standards, p.
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3. ., :: evolution diversity ac aptation interpreting fossil evidence techniques for age determination natural selection crescent from common ancestors experiments evidence explanations moclels theory skepticism Comments on breadth and depth of coverage: it.
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Student investigations Location Pagers) Titles of example investigations: a.
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Student Investigations Investigation title: Learning goal: Pagefs) The activity alignment between learning goal and National Science Education Standards fundamentalunclerstanding: Excellent ~ ~ Partial ~ ~ None Comments: .
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From page 115... ...
discussion of how science advances through legitimate skepticism; c. discussion of how scientists evaluate proposed explanations of others by examining and comparing evidence, reasoning that goes beyond the evidence, suggesting alternative explanations for the same evidence; d.
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From page 116... ...
Discussion of examples: Overall estimate of alignment with National Science Education Standards History and the Nature of Science Stanciarc] Excellent ~ ~ Good ~ ~ Some ~ ~ Little ~ ~ None Justification of alignment estimate: Page(s)
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From page 117... ...
materials engage and focus student thinking on interesting questions, problems, or relevant issues; rather than opening with statements of fact and vocabulary; Comments: 3. materials provide a sequence of learning activities connected in such a way as to help students build understanding of a fundamental concept.
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From page 118... ...
7 s s ~ 3. fairness of assessment tasks for all students for example, task 6: does not rely too heavily upon the stuclent's ability to read complex items or write explanations, as opposed to understanding I: the fundamental concepts; and s 4.
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Does the guide contain suggestions for effectively managing instructional materials?
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From page 120... ...
fairness of assessment tasks for all students for example, task does not rely too heavily upon the student's ability to read complex items or write explanations, as opposed to unclerstanding the fundamental concepts; and i. the inclusion of actual assessment instruments, scoring criteria or rubrics, and specific suggestions provided regarding their use.
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