2061 Connections
An electronic newsletter for the science education community

March/April 2006

New Book Looks at the Impact of Standards

Project 2061 staff contribute historical, curricular perspectives

[Cover Photo] The Impact of State and National Standards on K-12 Science Teacher

In the new volume of their Research in Science Education series, editors Dennis W. Sunal and Emmett L. Wright present a comprehensive look at research, theory, and policy related to science standards in K–12 education. The Impact of State and National Standards on K–12 Science Teaching brings together the work of education researchers to investigate the development, status, influence, and future of science standards from a variety of viewpoints.

Project 2061 has contributed two chapters to the volume, which are available on Project 2061’s Web site in PDF format:

  • In “History of the Science Standards Movement in the United States,” George DeBoer explores the differences between two interrelated standards movements in the United States, their impact on science education reform efforts, and what remains to be done to promote further progress toward achieving widespread science literacy. Read the DeBoer chapter (Flash, 7.17MB).
  • In “Improving the Alignment of Curriculum and Assessment to National Science Standards,” Luli Stern and Jo Ellen Roseman focus on the continuing efforts of Project 2061 to develop and validate tools for evaluating science curriculum and assessment materials in light of Benchmarks for Science Literacy (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993) and the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996). Read the Stern & Roseman chapter (Flash, 3.66MB).

The Impact of State and National Standards on K–12 Science Teaching can be ordered from Information Age Publishing. See ordering information.

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For more information, please contact:

Project 2061 Director: Dr. Jo Ellen Roseman, (202) 326-6752

Project 2061 Deputy Director: Dr. George DeBoer, (202) 326-6624

References

American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy. New York: Oxford University Press.

DeBoer, G. E. (2006). History of the science standards movement in the United States. In D. W. Sunal & E. L. Wright (Series Eds.), Research in science education: Vol. 2. The impact of state and national standards on K–12 science teaching (pp. 7–49). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Stern, L., & Roseman, J. E. (2006). Improving the alignment of curriculum and assessment to national science standards. In D. W. Sunal & E. L. Wright (Series Eds.), Research in science education: Vol. 2. The impact of state and national standards on K–12 science teaching (pp. 301–324). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.


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