Board of Higher Education Meeting | December 6, 2011

Science Standards Alignment

Appointed by Commissioners

Charged to consider high-impact strategies to eliminate disparities in college-going rates

Four key strategies since spring 2011 Statewide implementation of MassCore Alignment between admissions and MassCore

requirements Early assessment Communications

Recommendations

College Participation Advisory Group

Science Standards Alignment

Subjects MassCore Standards BHE Admissions Standards

English 4 years 4 yearsMath 4 years 4 years (eff. Fall ’16)

Science

3 years lab-based sciencescience and tech/engineering

3 years, 2 with labnatural/physical sciences

History/Social Science

3 years2 years, including 1 course in U.S. History

Foreign Language

2 years of the same language

2 years of the same language

The Arts 1 year --

Other

5 additional “core” courses in business education, career and technical education, health, technology

Additional learning opportunities, e.g., AP, dual enrollment, online, work-based learning, senior project

2 electives from the above subjects or from the Arts & Humanities or Computer Sciences

Current Standards: MassCore, Admissions

Science Standards Alignment

Change the admissions standard in science to require three years of lab-based science, including the natural and physical sciences and technology/engineering (STE).

Implement revised science standard in two phases: Phase One ▪ Effective for those applying to begin university in the 2012-2013

school year ▪ Require three STE science courses including two with a lab

Phase Two▪ Effective with the high school graduating class of 2016 ▪ Require that all three STE courses be lab-based

Recommendation

6

Science Standards AlignmentClose Relationship of Science and Technology/Engineering

“Exponential advances in knowledge, instrumentation, communication, and computational capabilities have created mind-boggling possibilities, and students are cutting across traditional disciplinary boundaries in unprecedented ways. Indeed, the distinction between science and engineering in some domains has been blurred to extinction.”

―Charles Vest, 2006

Science Standards Alignment

MA STE Framework since 2001

National Research Council (NRC) Framework for New Science Standards (July 2011) Includes engineering & technology as strand equivalent

to natural & physical sciences

Incorporates design practices with inquiry practices

26 states leading development of Next Generation Science Standards based on NRC

Inclusion of Engineering

Scientific Inquiry Engineering DesignAsk a question Define a problem

Obtain, evaluate and communicate technical information

Obtain, evaluate and communicate technical information

Plan investigations Plan designs and tests

Develop and use models Develop and use models

Design and conduct tests of experiments or models

Design and conduct tests of prototypes or models

Analyze and interpret data Analyze and interpret data

Use mathematics and computational thinking

Use mathematics and computational thinking

Construct explanations using evidence

Design solutions using evidence

Engage in argument using evidence

Engage in argument using evidence

Adapted from A Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2011)

Science Standards Alignment

Thinking Analytically: Common Practices

Science Standards Alignment

Example technology/engineering principles:▪ Engineering design to create and test technological products▪ Analysis and purposeful application of materials and

manufacturing processes▪ Structure and function relationships▪ Analysis, modeling and design of technological systems▪ Analysis of tradeoffs, constraints and optimization

Reflected in our state learning standards

Similar principles reflected in NRC/NGSS

Each About Principles of a Field

Science Standards Alignment

What are they about? Academic learning – concepts and principles

What do students do? Laboratory-based – design, model, test, analyze, etc.

Where do these classes reside? From 9th grade introductory engineering… … to upper-level electives:▪ Robotics, Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology

In science, science & technology/engineering, and/or technology education departments

Engineering Courses as Science Credit

Science Standards Alignment

Requires an aligned system

For K-12, ESE has aligned policies and requirements to ensure rigor of high school science courses:▪ Standards▪ Licensure▪ Assessment

Which high schools are taking advantage of:▪ Designing, implementing, and approving

technology/engineering courses as science credit

Ensuring Academic Rigor

* Approval by school (guidance & department) and/or district (school committee)

BiologyChemist

ryEarth

Science PhysicsTech/Eng

High School Standards

Course approval* (for lab-based science credit)

Assessment (MCAS end-of-course)

NA

License & HQT

Science Standards Alignment

Ensuring Academic Rigor

Science Standards Alignment

This adjustment to the state university admissions policy: Will help convey a similar conception of college

readiness in science for K-12 and higher education

Will recognize high school technology/engineering courses that are designed, offered and taken for science credit

Without this recognition schools and students see this as a large disincentive to offer and take tech/eng courses in high school

The Last Piece of an Aligned System