2023 Annual International Conference

REFLECTING ON REFORM

Join us in Chicago for the NARST 96th Annual International Conference. We look forward to building on last year’s theme of inviting and uniting as a community and coming together to reflect on global science education reforms. For members in the United States, 2023 marks the ten-year anniversary of NGSS. Internationally, parallel reforms are underway that also call for new approaches to promote scientific literacy and workforce readiness. As an organization NARST is committed to the improvement of science teaching and learning through research and one of the target audiences for our research is policymakers. Our research-based reflections on the implementation of these current reforms can inform future policy as we explore what is working and what is not working in formal K-12 spaces, higher education settings, and informal spaces.

Plenary Sessions

Engineering Science Reform

Dr. Christine Cunningham

The past decade has witnessed reforms in science education across the globe. Among these has been the introduction of engineering into preK-12 standards, classrooms, out-of-school settings, and informal learning spaces. The diversity of student ideas and experiences in today’s classrooms represents an opportunity to foster a generation of creative problem solvers that will shape their world.

Pre-Conference Workshops
April 18, 2023 Integrating Science with Computer Science for Linguistically Diverse Classrooms… This workshop will engage participants in how to integrate computer science concepts and practices with rich science and literacy connections at the upper elementary grades. Participants will be able to develop skills to address the Next Generation Science Standards, CSTA Computer Science Education Standards and Literacy Standards while considering the needs of multilingual learners (MLs). ____________________ April 18, 2023 Use of cutting-edge technologies in STEM education. Programs and lessons learne… The application and innovation of technology are essential components of the transformative change that education is currently experiencing. Emergent technologies and practices are playing a key role in improving student access to content and enriching experiences in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), contributing to student interests and motivation in STEAM fields and careers. This access is of particular importance for underserved and rural schools with limited resources to science research facilities and scientific laboratories. Likewise, students with disabilities have limitations to firsthand and hands-on science experiences that technology can help to overcome. The Education Research & Outreach Lab (EROL) at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center offers students learning experiences that foster engagement in science practice, collaboration, and communication bringing plant and agricultural sciences to the classroom. The EROL Education Technology program offers educational experiences using augmented and virtual reality (AVR), 3D modeling, computer gaming, and geospatial tools (https://www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/education-outreach/education-technology-program/). Workshop participants will be introduced to this program and its lessons learned, to motivate educators to integrate technologies in their classrooms and facilitate access to resources that otherwise can be limited for science learning and interest in STEM fields. ____________________ April 18, 2023 Critically theorizing the margins for reform-based equity in science: A disobed… Centering Lives relegated to the margins in mainstream science education research, practice, and policy is crucial for equitable reform. Students labeled with disabilities are still not integrated in social justice theorizing and design. Additionally, despite calls to advance gender and sexual diversity among equitable reform goals, the field has yet to adopt more contemporary paradigms, privileging cis-gender and heterosexual identities as the unquestioned majority. Given the reality that the status quo of science education policy is designed as a majority-won interest in academic achievement, we ask: What can Disabled and LGBTQ perspectives bring to the critical work in science education reform-based equity? Defying what has been built before us in the field as the most important conceptual links to drive equity-based reform, we argue that to disobey this persistence in valorizing cis-abled-bodied heterosexual perspectives over those outside that center becomes a radical step to redraw philosophical, methodological, and epistemological boundaries. We therefore stake the claim that using this workshop as a session to think beyond ‘what is’ and engage ‘what if’ can become a generative space to theorize among these margins, and Dream disobediently. ____________________ April 18, 2023 Towards Scientific Literacy in Inclusive Science Education – A New Approach to … Scientific literacy as a central goal of modern science education has to be accessible for every student, regardless of their background. Teachers face the challenge of meeting demands of science education while welcoming the diversity of students to address inclusion and equity in their teaching. However, they are often hindered by existing systems to develop the necessary competencies. Implementing inclusive science teaching in classroom practice still remains challenging. Hence, additional resources are needed to support pre- and in-service science teachers in planning and reflecting on lessons that acknowledge students’ diversity, recognize possible barriers, and enable participation for all. Members of the Network for Inclusive Science Education (NinU) collaboratively created a framework-based approach to fill this gap in which the perspectives of science education and inclusive pedagogy are combined to provide a resource for supporting in-service science teachers in planning and reflecting on inclusive science lessons. The NinU framework has been implemented in several teacher education programs and has shown to be a valuable resource to raise pre-service science teachers’ understanding of diversity and equity. Workshop participants will learn about the theory behind the NinU framework and reflect on how the framework can be used at school and university level. ____________________ April 18, 2023 Observing Integrated STEM Education in K-12 Science and Engineering Classrooms … This workshop will engage participants from the science teacher education and the science and STEM education research communities in learning about the STEM Observation Protocol (STEM-OP) - a new 10-item protocol designed for observing integrated STEM lessons within K- 12 science and engineering classrooms. Participants will be provided with opportunities to learn about our conceptual framework for integrated STEM education and the development of the protocol along with reliability measures. The focus of the workshop will be dedicated to practice using the protocol with example classroom video of integrated STEM lessons. This workshop will also introduce the associated training platform designed to support new users of the protocol. The training platform utilizes the popular Learning Management System Canvas to guide new users through a series of modules to educate them about the protocol’s 10 items. The modules include opportunities for users to practice using the instrument and receive immediate feedback to facilitate learning. Multiple uses of the protocol and the training platform, including for science teacher education and educational research, will be discussed. ____________________ April 18, 2023 Assessing Early Childhood and Primary Students’ Views of Science: Learning to A… Helping students, teachers and pre-service teachers develop informed views about scientific inquiry (SI) and scientific literacy has been and continues to be a goal of K – 12 science education. However, there have been limited assessment instruments to evaluate young children’s knowledge of SI. This workshop will (a) describe the development of two new validity and reliable instruments for K -6 students: Views About Scientific Inquiry questionnaire- Elementary (VASI-E) and the Young Children’s Views of Science (YCVS) (b) outline the framework of scientific inquiry that undergirds the VASI-E and YCVS; (c) provide training on how. to administer and score both the VASI-E and YCVS; (d) discuss the utility of soliciting rich-descriptive views of SI that these instruments provide for informing future research efforts. ____________________ April 18, 2023 [Interactive Missions 1-3] Revolutionizing 3-D Science & STEM Education: Join u… Science in K-12 education is often focused on memorization and regurgitation of facts, rather than developing skills that prepare students for real-world problem solving. This approach leaves students struggling to apply scientific concepts in real-world scenarios, which can lead to a lack of interest and engagement in science. Unfortunately, teachers often face challenges in implementing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills, due to the time and resources required for planning and execution. Join us for a series of 3 hands-on demonstrations of technology being developed with the help of the National Science Foundation. The platform, known as Infini-D Learning, provides a solution to this problem by offering an innovative resource that immerses students in interactive missions that teach real-world concepts in a fun and engaging way. By using cutting-edge technology, Infini-D challenges students to think critically, problem-solve, and work collaboratively through various high-stakes scenarios. In addition to being an effective learning tool, Infini-D also tracks student performance across a wide range of real-time skills metrics, making it the most comprehensive 21st-century data tool for science education. This approach allows teachers to personalize feedback and tailor instruction to each student's unique needs, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Infini-D is a powerful tool for teachers looking to enhance their 3D Science and STEM instruction and engage students in hands-on, experiential learning. ____________________ April 18, 2023 Dismantling Systemic Inequalities in Indigenous STEM Education The research landscape of today’s world is changing. This altered context is of highest interest to ISK RIG members, who are asking for bold innovations to advance racial equity and center the voices, knowledges, and experiences of Native communities in our projects. This year we are invited to the Spencer Foundation (625 N Michigan Ave). The Spencer Foundation sits on the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. This area has also been home to other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and Sac and Fox. The region has long been a center for Indigenous people to gather, trade, and maintain kinship ties. Today, one of the largest urban Indigenous communities in the United States resides in Chicago. NARST members can walk to the Foundation or travel by subway (access near the primary hotel). The schedule includes opening protocol, a welcome and orientation to the local context, a brief update on the state of Indigenous research methodologies for educational transformation, followed by a series of roundtable discussions facilitated by the ISK RIG members. ISK RIG scholars will use small groups to discuss global science education reforms and dismantling systemic inequalities in Indigenous STEM education. Participants will add their own experiences with effective context-specific solutions toward educational transformation. Each table will produce a summary and report, along with recommended materials related to Indigenous science programs.

Pre-Conference Workshops

April 18, 2023

Integrating Science with Computer Science for Linguistically Diverse Classrooms…

This workshop will engage participants in how to integrate computer science concepts and practices with rich science and literacy connections at the upper elementary grades. Participants will be able to develop skills to address the Next Generation Science Standards, CSTA Computer Science Education Standards and Literacy Standards while considering the needs of multilingual learners (MLs).

____________________

April 18, 2023

Use of cutting-edge technologies in STEM education. Programs and lessons learne…

The application and innovation of technology are essential components of the transformative change that education is currently experiencing. Emergent technologies and practices are playing a key role in improving student access to content and enriching experiences in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), contributing to student interests and motivation in STEAM fields and careers. This access is of particular importance for underserved and rural schools with limited resources to science research facilities and scientific laboratories. Likewise, students with disabilities have limitations to firsthand and hands-on science experiences that technology can help to overcome.

The Education Research & Outreach Lab (EROL) at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center offers students learning experiences that foster engagement in science practice, collaboration, and communication bringing plant and agricultural sciences to the classroom. The EROL Education Technology program offers educational experiences using augmented and virtual reality (AVR), 3D modeling, computer gaming, and geospatial tools (https://www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/education-outreach/education-technology-program/). Workshop participants will be introduced to this program and its lessons learned, to motivate educators to integrate technologies in their classrooms and facilitate access to resources that otherwise can be limited for science learning and interest in STEM fields.

____________________

April 18, 2023

Critically theorizing the margins for reform-based equity in science: A disobed…

Centering Lives relegated to the margins in mainstream science education research, practice, and policy is crucial for equitable reform. Students labeled with disabilities are still not integrated in social justice theorizing and design. Additionally, despite calls to advance gender and sexual diversity among equitable reform goals, the field has yet to adopt more contemporary paradigms, privileging cis-gender and heterosexual identities as the unquestioned majority. Given the reality that the status quo of science education policy is designed as a majority-won interest in academic achievement, we ask: What can Disabled and LGBTQ perspectives bring to the critical work in science education reform-based equity? Defying what has been built before us in the field as the most important conceptual links to drive equity-based reform, we argue that to disobey this persistence in valorizing cis-abled-bodied heterosexual perspectives over those outside that center becomes a radical step to redraw philosophical, methodological, and epistemological boundaries. We therefore stake the claim that using this workshop as a session to think beyond ‘what is’ and engage ‘what if’ can become a generative space to theorize among these margins, and Dream disobediently.

____________________

April 18, 2023

Towards Scientific Literacy in Inclusive Science Education – A New Approach to …

Scientific literacy as a central goal of modern science education has to be accessible for every student, regardless of their background. Teachers face the challenge of meeting demands of science education while welcoming the diversity of students to address inclusion and equity in their teaching. However, they are often hindered by existing systems to develop the necessary competencies.

Implementing inclusive science teaching in classroom practice still remains challenging. Hence, additional resources are needed to support pre- and in-service science teachers in planning and reflecting on lessons that acknowledge students’ diversity, recognize possible barriers, and enable participation for all.

Members of the Network for Inclusive Science Education (NinU) collaboratively created a framework-based approach to fill this gap in which the perspectives of science education and inclusive pedagogy are combined to provide a resource for supporting in-service science teachers in planning and reflecting on inclusive science lessons. The NinU framework has been implemented in several teacher education programs and has shown to be a valuable resource to raise pre-service science teachers’ understanding of diversity and equity. Workshop participants will learn about the theory behind the NinU framework and reflect on how the framework can be used at school and university level.

____________________

April 18, 2023

Observing Integrated STEM Education in K-12 Science and Engineering Classrooms …

This workshop will engage participants from the science teacher education and the science and STEM education research communities in learning about the STEM Observation Protocol (STEM-OP) - a new 10-item protocol designed for observing integrated STEM lessons within K- 12 science and engineering classrooms. Participants will be provided with opportunities to learn about our conceptual framework for integrated STEM education and the development of the protocol along with reliability measures. The focus of the workshop will be dedicated to practice using the protocol with example classroom video of integrated STEM lessons. This workshop will also introduce the associated training platform designed to support new users of the protocol. The training platform utilizes the popular Learning Management System Canvas to guide new users through a series of modules to educate them about the protocol’s 10 items. The modules include opportunities for users to practice using the instrument and receive immediate feedback to facilitate learning. Multiple uses of the protocol and the training platform, including for science teacher education and educational research, will be discussed.

____________________

April 18, 2023

Assessing Early Childhood and Primary Students’ Views of Science: Learning to A…

Helping students, teachers and pre-service teachers develop informed views about scientific inquiry (SI) and scientific literacy has been and continues to be a goal of K – 12 science education. However, there have been limited assessment instruments to evaluate young children’s knowledge of SI. This workshop will (a) describe the development of two new validity and reliable instruments for K -6 students: Views About Scientific Inquiry questionnaire- Elementary (VASI-E) and the Young Children’s Views of Science (YCVS) (b) outline the framework of scientific inquiry that undergirds the VASI-E and YCVS; (c) provide training on how. to administer and score both the VASI-E and YCVS; (d) discuss the utility of soliciting rich-descriptive views of SI that these instruments provide for informing future research efforts.

____________________

April 18, 2023

[Interactive Missions 1-3] Revolutionizing 3-D Science & STEM Education: Join u…

Science in K-12 education is often focused on memorization and regurgitation of facts, rather than developing skills that prepare students for real-world problem solving. This approach leaves students struggling to apply scientific concepts in real-world scenarios, which can lead to a lack of interest and engagement in science. Unfortunately, teachers often face challenges in implementing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills, due to the time and resources required for planning and execution.

Join us for a series of 3 hands-on demonstrations of technology being developed with the help of the National Science Foundation. The platform, known as Infini-D Learning, provides a solution to this problem by offering an innovative resource that immerses students in interactive missions that teach real-world concepts in a fun and engaging way. By using cutting-edge technology, Infini-D challenges students to think critically, problem-solve, and work collaboratively through various high-stakes scenarios. In addition to being an effective learning tool, Infini-D also tracks student performance across a wide range of real-time skills metrics, making it the most comprehensive 21st-century data tool for science education. This approach allows teachers to personalize feedback and tailor instruction to each student's unique needs, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Infini-D is a powerful tool for teachers looking to enhance their 3D Science and STEM instruction and engage students in hands-on, experiential learning.

____________________

April 18, 2023

Dismantling Systemic Inequalities in Indigenous STEM Education

The research landscape of today’s world is changing. This altered context is of highest interest to ISK RIG members, who are asking for bold innovations to advance racial equity and center the voices, knowledges, and experiences of Native communities in our projects. This year we are invited to the Spencer Foundation (625 N Michigan Ave). The Spencer Foundation sits on the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. This area has also been home to other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and Sac and Fox. The region has long been a center for Indigenous people to gather, trade, and maintain kinship ties. Today, one of the largest urban Indigenous communities in the United States resides in Chicago. NARST members can walk to the Foundation or travel by subway (access near the primary hotel). The schedule includes opening protocol, a welcome and orientation to the local context, a brief update on the state of Indigenous research methodologies for educational transformation, followed by a series of roundtable discussions facilitated by the ISK RIG members. ISK RIG scholars will use small groups to discuss global science education reforms and dismantling systemic inequalities in Indigenous STEM education. Participants will add their own experiences with effective context-specific solutions toward educational transformation. Each table will produce a summary and report, along with recommended materials related to Indigenous science programs.