Supporting the Implementation of NGSS through Research: Professional Development
This resource is a position statement and paper from the National Association for Research on Science Teaching. The authors emphasize that much has been learned in the last several years about effective science instruction, including the importance of paying attention to student thinking throughout instruction, providing opportunities to delve deeply into substantive scientific ideas, and metacognition. Similarly, the field has gained much knowledge about effective professional learning experiences for teachers, which provide opportunities for them to deepen their understanding of science and how students learn science, and to reflect on their practice.
The authors conclude that in order to realize the potential of the NGSS, it will be critical to invest in professional development for teachers of science, as well as for those who play an important role in shaping what happens in classrooms.
The website for the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, the professional organization for this resource, offers membership and public access to its resources, which include NGSS position papers in support of the standards, preservice and teacher educator resources, and other links on accountability, curriculum, assesssment, equity, and informal science education. The authors of this resource advocate that, in any field that benefits from ongoing research and new developments, professional educators must have opportunities to update their knowledge and skills – in this case, to support the implementation of the NGSS. This brief paper can be downloaded as a PDF file.