This was a pleasure to read because it is so beautifully argued but a pain to digest because of the well-intentioned but misguided approach by NGSS (the road to hell, etc.). I hope the exceptional work you are doing gains enough momentum and recognition to help the classroom teacher contextualize the recommendations they've been given.
Thank you so much for commenting, and I appreciate this thorough resource about NGSS! I have some concerns about the pushback to NGSS itself being partisan. I agree that NGSS is not supporting critical thinking but it, for example, is correct in not addressing religion.
Olivia: I was simply putting together a collection of criticisims on the NGSS, not endorsing anything. My point is that it is not satisfactory from multiple perspectives.
My perspective is from being a professional scientist (physicist). I'd loike to discuss that.
Researchers in the UK compared two different approaches to teaching about natural selection to 10 and 11 year olds, using the example of the peppered moth. To their surprise, students who got a clear explanation learned more than those who engaged in the hands-on activity.
I haven't seen this! Fantastic thank you for alerting me to it. I'll read the study itself but the conclusions make sense to me. I do like the peppered moth activity but do see it as an amplifier and perhaps verging on a "for fun" activity, not as an activity to build initial conceptual understanding.
The topic under study here is important. Hands-on activities are much more critical for topics like "air takes up space" or "friction" than the natural selection. Topics involving animals are often the least in need of hands-on activities because most students already have plenty of first-hand experience with animals and have high-interest in them so the content tends to be more "sticky" naturally.
Thanks for the clear and incisive analysis, Olivia, and for the courage to ask the hard questions and push back against the “experts” when the experts have no evidence to support their “expertise!” Keep at it - we need you!
I finally had the time to read this! The email exchange you mentioned is not surprising but it is disappointing. Unfortunately, I have had the same experience when challenging NGSS practices.
I have taught science for 10 years. This is the first year that my honors students are coming in to my class not knowing what solid, liquids, and gases look like at the particle level. These students are high achieving and have parents that care about their education. If this group of students are coming in to high school with extreme knowledge gaps, then I can only assume that something must be really wrong with the standards themselves.
All of this (and more) is why Freedom in Education created the Franklin Science Standards. Hopefully, states will see the issues around NGSS and adopt the Franklin Standards instead.
All of this (and more) is why Freedom in Education created the Franklin Science Standards. Hopefully, states will see the issues around NGSS and adopt the Franklin Standards instead.
Really appreciated hearing your breakdown, process, and examples. Thanks!
This was a pleasure to read because it is so beautifully argued but a pain to digest because of the well-intentioned but misguided approach by NGSS (the road to hell, etc.). I hope the exceptional work you are doing gains enough momentum and recognition to help the classroom teacher contextualize the recommendations they've been given.
Olivia: I'm a scientist (physicist) and national K-12 education expert.
I have been alerting people for years that the NGSS is subpar to put it kindly. Here is a sample commentary of my Substack "The Definitive Case Against the NGSS." <https://criticallythinking.substack.com/p/the-definitive-case-against-the-ngss>>.
We should talk!
Thank you so much for commenting, and I appreciate this thorough resource about NGSS! I have some concerns about the pushback to NGSS itself being partisan. I agree that NGSS is not supporting critical thinking but it, for example, is correct in not addressing religion.
Olivia: I was simply putting together a collection of criticisims on the NGSS, not endorsing anything. My point is that it is not satisfactory from multiple perspectives.
My perspective is from being a professional scientist (physicist). I'd loike to discuss that.
I will send a DM!
Better to send an email to <aaprjohn@northnet.org>.
Thanks for this post, Olivia!
If you're interested in a study comparing explicit science instruction with an inquiry/hands-on approach, there's one I can direct you to. I wrote about it a few years ago here: https://nataliewexler.substack.com/p/why-hands-on-learning-isnt-always.
Researchers in the UK compared two different approaches to teaching about natural selection to 10 and 11 year olds, using the example of the peppered moth. To their surprise, students who got a clear explanation learned more than those who engaged in the hands-on activity.
I haven't seen this! Fantastic thank you for alerting me to it. I'll read the study itself but the conclusions make sense to me. I do like the peppered moth activity but do see it as an amplifier and perhaps verging on a "for fun" activity, not as an activity to build initial conceptual understanding.
The topic under study here is important. Hands-on activities are much more critical for topics like "air takes up space" or "friction" than the natural selection. Topics involving animals are often the least in need of hands-on activities because most students already have plenty of first-hand experience with animals and have high-interest in them so the content tends to be more "sticky" naturally.
Thanks for the clear and incisive analysis, Olivia, and for the courage to ask the hard questions and push back against the “experts” when the experts have no evidence to support their “expertise!” Keep at it - we need you!
This is such a clear and thoughtful post. Thanks for speaking to what so many of us see in the classroom.
I finally had the time to read this! The email exchange you mentioned is not surprising but it is disappointing. Unfortunately, I have had the same experience when challenging NGSS practices.
I have taught science for 10 years. This is the first year that my honors students are coming in to my class not knowing what solid, liquids, and gases look like at the particle level. These students are high achieving and have parents that care about their education. If this group of students are coming in to high school with extreme knowledge gaps, then I can only assume that something must be really wrong with the standards themselves.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
All of this (and more) is why Freedom in Education created the Franklin Science Standards. Hopefully, states will see the issues around NGSS and adopt the Franklin Standards instead.
All of this (and more) is why Freedom in Education created the Franklin Science Standards. Hopefully, states will see the issues around NGSS and adopt the Franklin Standards instead.