The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is one of the United States' leading federal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) agencies and plays an important role in ...the landscape of STEM education. In 2015, NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) created the Science Activation (SciAct) program to increase the overall coherence of SMD's education efforts, to support more effective, sustainable, and efficient use of SMD science discoveries for education, and to enable NASA scientists and engineers to engage more effectively and efficiently in the STEM learning environment with learners of all ages. SciAct is now transitioning into its second round of funding, and it is beneficial to review the program's portfolio and identify opportunities for improvement. "NASA's Science Activation Program: Achievements and Opportunities" assesses SciAct's efforts towards meeting its goals. The key objectives of SciAct are to enable STEM education, improve U.S. scientific literacy, advance national education goals, and leverage efforts through partnerships. This report describes and assesses the history, current status, and vision of the program and its projects. It also provides recommendations to enhance NASA's efforts through the SciAct program. Contributors include Committee to Assess Science Activation; Board on Science Education; and Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
At a time when scientific and technological competence is vital to the nation's future, the weak performance of U.S. students in science reflects the uneven quality of current science education. ...Although young children come to school with innate curiosity and intuitive ideas about the world around them, science classes rarely tap this potential. Many experts have called for a new approach to science education, based on recent and ongoing research on teaching and learning. In this approach, simulations and games could play a significant role by addressing many goals and mechanisms for learning science: the motivation to learn science, conceptual understanding, science process skills, understanding of the nature of science, scientific discourse and argumentation, and identification with science and science learning. To explore this potential, "Learning Science: Computer Games, Simulations, and Education," reviews the available research on learning science through interaction with digital simulations and games. It considers the potential of digital games and simulations to contribute to learning science in schools, in informal out-of-school settings, and everyday life. The book also identifies the areas in which more research and research-based development is needed to fully capitalize on this potential. "Learning Science" will guide academic researchers; developers, publishers, and entrepreneurs from the digital simulation and gaming community; and education practitioners and policy makers toward the formation of research and development partnerships that will facilitate rich intellectual collaboration. Industry, government agencies and foundations will play a significant role through start-up and ongoing support to ensure that digital games and simulations will not only excite and entertain, but also motivate and educate.
Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people navigating the world, not just for scientists and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals. ...Knowledge of science and the practice of scientific thinking are essential components of a fully functioning democracy. Science is also crucial for the future STEM workforce and the pursuit of living wage jobs. Yet, science education is not the national priority it needs to be, and states and local communities are not yet delivering high quality, rigorous learning experiences in equal measure to all students from elementary school through higher education. "Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future" articulates a vision for high quality science education, describes the gaps in opportunity that currently exist for many students, and outlines key priorities that need to be addressed in order to advance better, more equitable science education across grades K-16. This report makes recommendations for state and federal policy makers on ways to support equitable, productive pathways for all students to thrive and have opportunities to pursue careers that build on scientific skills and concepts. Call to Action for Science Education challenges the policy-making community at state and federal levels to acknowledge the importance of science, make science education a core national priority, and empower and give local communities the resources they must have to deliver a better, more equitable science education. Contributors include Committee on the Call to Action for Science Education; Board on Science Education; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
With federal and local demands for increased accountability, educators at all levels are now expected to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be effective data users and decision makers. ...This book brings together stakeholders representing a variety of perspectives to explore how educators actually use data and technology tools to achieve lasting improvement in student performance. The first comprehensive examination of the field, this volume introduces the history of testing and data use, explores current practices and tools, and presents a groundbreaking model for data-driven decision making. Book Features: (1) A valuable framework, based on a three-year project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, describing how data are transformed into usable knowledge; (2) Informative case studies illustrating how schools are using data to inform best practice; (3) Suggestions for how digital resources can be used to improve teaching in the classroom; and (4) A thought-provoking treatise on educational reform from the state perspective. Contributors include: David V. Abbott, Carrie Amon, Jonathan Bertfield, Cornelia Brunner, Fred Carrigg, Jere Confrey, Katherine R. Conoly, Valerie M. Crawford, Chris Dede, John Gasko, Greg Gunn, Juliette Heinze, Naomi Hupert, Sherry King, Mary Jane Kurabinski, Daniel Light, Lisa Long, Michael Merrill, Liane Moody, William R. Penuel, Luz Rivas, Mark Schlager, John Stewart, Sam Stringfield, Ronald Thorpe, Yukie Toyama, Jeffrey C. Wayman, and Viki M. Young.
