Next Generation Science Standards: Shifts in Practice
/ Conventional Inquiry-Based Practice / Shifts in Practice for NGSS / Notes /On the Role of Content / The overwhelming focus of instruction and assessment is content mastery.
Learning objectives attend to a broad and comprehensive content coverage of a scientific discipline. / Fewer concepts are emphasized and explored in depth.
Content, evidence, and scientific practices are interwoven like strands of a rope.
Content is put to use to generate and investigate questions or solve problems.
Interrelationships of ideas are emphasized.
Assessment centers on the use of knowledge and proficiency of the scientific practices.
Universal cross cutting concepts are prioritized and emphasized.
On the Role of Experimentation / A science course begins with a unit on the scientific method.
Hands-on science instruction is used to demonstrate facts of science and thereby reinforce concept mastery.
Clear directions are provided for experiments. / Approaches to investigation suit the nature of evidence and available technology.
Scientific investigations are designed to generate evidence and answer and inspire questions.
Students have the opportunity to invent and/or evaluate approaches to investigations.
Revisions to investigative approaches and multiple attempts are routine.
On the Role of Scientific Models and Computational Thinking / Physical models are the main type explored by students and they are used to help conceive of scientific ideas.
Mathematical formulas are used to find answers, but it is generally not pointed out that they can be treated as models.
Mathematical algorithms are provided for student use. / Models are designed and used to generate evidence, test ideas, and make predictions.
The types of models encountered by students align with those scientists use in their fields of study.
New evidence may require scientists to refine or replace existing models.
Students have the opportunity to build mathematical models which may be simple algorithms they can put to use.
A mathematical perspective supplements a deep understanding of content.
On Social Interaction / Group work is used to manage logistical challenges such as the need to share materials.
Cooperative learning occurs to help with student motivation while mastering content. / Productive social interactions center on evidence, argumentations, and discourse.
Norms of discussions are established, practiced, and necessary to support a classroom culture centered on student learning.
Argumentation and discourse are fundamental scientific practices necessary to analyze and interpret evidence and are effective strategies to develop conceptual mastery of science content.