The effect of Next Generation Science Standards practices on students

Abstract

The purpose of the research project was to determine the impact of using Next Generation Science Standard practices on students. This consisted of the treatment unit containing a phenomenon at the beginning, and students making and then modifying a model of that phenomenon as their understanding changed throughout the unit. This was compared to a non-treatment unit which consisted of the curriculum as has been implemented in the past. Students were given a pre-test before each unit, as well as surveys and interviews on student experiences after the completion of each unit. The results were that students performed better on the non-treatment unit summative assessment than they did on the treatment unit. In addition, while the treatment unit did have increases in categories of student experiences, they were not statistically significant. The non-treatment unit did have a statistically significant increase in the personalization of learning for the student experience. The content of the two units were dissimilar, which could help explain the difference. The treatment was introduced part way through the school year, and so was a new and different experience. Finally, only a portion of the practices were used, instead of drawing from the full wealth of tools. In conclusion, I would say that this research supports what I and most of my colleagues already believe to be true. The idea that the Next Generation Science Standards are valuable for students, but there needs to be a place for some of the more traditional techniques as well. A blending of the old with the new is what I believe will serve learners the best.