Educational Affairs Office: Nature of Science/Quality of Science

NATURE OF SCIENCE/QUALITY OF SCIENCE

Scientific Method

INDICATOR What are the characteristics of the scientific method?

SUPERIOR Educational program, instructional design, or materials explicitly provide a method of predicting outcomes not personally experienced.

GOOD Educational program, instructional design, or materials encourage a method of predicting an outcome not personally experienced.

ACCEPTABLE Educational program, instructional design, or materials allow for predictions of outcomes

NEEDS REVISION Educational program, instructional design, or materials make no allowances for predictions of any kind

Inquiry-based

INDICATOR What does inquiry-based science look like?

SUPERIOR Program or materials emphasize the process of discovery, and encourage inquiries to explore new concepts or areas not otherwise covered
Exemplary inquiries influence formal investigations and the development of careful and thoughtful hypotheses
Students consistently use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore new ideas and solve problems.

GOOD Program or materials usually include the process of discovery, and allow inquiries to explore new concepts or areas not otherwise covered
Interesting inquiries influence formal investigations and the development of thoughtful hypotheses
Students often use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.

ACCEPTABLE Program or materials sometimes include the process of discovery, and allow inquiries to explore concepts or areas not otherwise covered
Standard inquiries inform formal investigations and hypotheses
Students sometimes use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.

NEEDS REVISION Program or materials seldom include the process of discovery, nor allow inquiries to explore concepts or areas not otherwise covered
Inquiries are absent, not clearly observable, nor meaningful
Students rarely use any resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.

Process of Science

INDICATOR What processes are essential in quality science education?

SUPERIOR Program or instructional design includes the processes of observing natural phenomena, measuring or collecting data, creating and testing hypotheses, analysis of experimental results, revising hypotheses (if necessary), and developing further investigations
The processes of authentic peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are rigorously exercised in the course of the program or materials

GOOD Program or instructional design includes the processes of observing natural phenomena, measuring or collecting data, creating and testing hypotheses, analysis of experimental results, revising hypotheses (if necessary)
The processes of authentic peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are well-exercised in the course of the program or materials

ACCEPTABLE Program or instructional design allows for some observation of natural phenomena, data collection, creation of hypotheses, and analysis of results
The processes of peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are sometimes exercised in the course of the program.

NEEDS REVISION Program or instructional design has no provision for observation of natural phenomena, data collection, creation of hypotheses, and analysis of results
Peer review and discriminating processes are missing in the program or materials

Engagement

INDICATOR How do we get all students involved in learning?

SUPERIOR Scientific objectives are well-articulated, interesting, enlightening, challenging, and create interaction among student participants
The work students do is consistently designed with multiple entry points for access by diverse learners
Students are consistently asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.

GOOD Scientific objectives are well-articulated, interesting, and encourage interaction among student participants
The work students do is usually designed with multiple entry points for access by diverse learners
Students are often asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.

ACCEPTABLE Scientific objectives are generally interesting, and important, and allow interaction among student participants
The work students do sometimes has entry points for access by diverse learners
Students are sometimes asked to interact and communicate with others in various groups and formats.

NEEDS REVISION Scientific objectives are neither interesting, nor enlightening, and does not allow interaction among student participants
The work students do has few entry points for diverse learners
Students are rarely asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.

Understanding

INDICATOR How do we know when students understand conceptually?

SUPERIOR Programs create an observable change in behavior(s). The behavior results from a variety of experiences or practices, and the change is enduring
Students are able to conceptually apply their understandings of fundamental and underlying principles through multiple presentation or performance formats.

GOOD Programs create an observable change in behavior(s). The behavior results from some experience or practice, and the change is enduring
Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through a variety of presentation or performance formats.

ACCEPTABLE Programs are insightful, and inspire and influence the acquisition of knowledge and its retention
Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through traditional testing formats.

NEEDS REVISION Programs are information and knowledge-based, and do not influence understanding nor retention of knowledge
Students acquire and demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through rote memorization and recall.

Connection to Other Disciplines

INDICATOR How should science be connected to other academic disciplines?

SUPERIOR Instructional design of materials incorporates other disciplines of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts
Education program or materials design a writing component that vigorously exercises essential communication skills (writing, journaling, authoring, and presentations).

GOOD Instructional design of materials incorporates at least one other discipline of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts
Education program or materials have many opportunities to exercise communication skills (writing, journaling, authoring, and presentations).

ACCEPTABLE Instructional design of materials incorporates at most one other discipline of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts
Education program or materials have some opportunities to exercise essential communication skills.

NEEDS REVISION Instructional design of materials has no connection to other academic disciplines
Education program or materials have no opportunities to exercise essential communication skills.

Content: Richard Alvidrez
Web Developer: Kristy Kawasaki

INDICATOR	What are the characteristics of the scientific method?
SUPERIOR	Educational program, instructional design, or materials explicitly provide a method of predicting outcomes not personally experienced.
GOOD	Educational program, instructional design, or materials encourage a method of predicting an outcome not personally experienced.
ACCEPTABLE	Educational program, instructional design, or materials allow for predictions of outcomes
NEEDS REVISION	Educational program, instructional design, or materials make no allowances for predictions of any kind

INDICATOR	What does inquiry-based science look like?
SUPERIOR	Program or materials emphasize the process of discovery, and encourage inquiries to explore new concepts or areas not otherwise covered Exemplary inquiries influence formal investigations and the development of careful and thoughtful hypotheses Students consistently use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore new ideas and solve problems.
GOOD	Program or materials usually include the process of discovery, and allow inquiries to explore new concepts or areas not otherwise covered Interesting inquiries influence formal investigations and the development of thoughtful hypotheses Students often use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.
ACCEPTABLE	Program or materials sometimes include the process of discovery, and allow inquiries to explore concepts or areas not otherwise covered Standard inquiries inform formal investigations and hypotheses Students sometimes use a variety of resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.
NEEDS REVISION	Program or materials seldom include the process of discovery, nor allow inquiries to explore concepts or areas not otherwise covered Inquiries are absent, not clearly observable, nor meaningful Students rarely use any resources, tools, and technologies to explore ideas and solve problems.

INDICATOR	What processes are essential in quality science education?
SUPERIOR	Program or instructional design includes the processes of observing natural phenomena, measuring or collecting data, creating and testing hypotheses, analysis of experimental results, revising hypotheses (if necessary), and developing further investigations The processes of authentic peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are rigorously exercised in the course of the program or materials
GOOD	Program or instructional design includes the processes of observing natural phenomena, measuring or collecting data, creating and testing hypotheses, analysis of experimental results, revising hypotheses (if necessary) The processes of authentic peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are well-exercised in the course of the program or materials
ACCEPTABLE	Program or instructional design allows for some observation of natural phenomena, data collection, creation of hypotheses, and analysis of results The processes of peer (student) review and healthy skepticism are sometimes exercised in the course of the program.
NEEDS REVISION	Program or instructional design has no provision for observation of natural phenomena, data collection, creation of hypotheses, and analysis of results Peer review and discriminating processes are missing in the program or materials

INDICATOR	How do we get all students involved in learning?
SUPERIOR	Scientific objectives are well-articulated, interesting, enlightening, challenging, and create interaction among student participants The work students do is consistently designed with multiple entry points for access by diverse learners Students are consistently asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.
GOOD	Scientific objectives are well-articulated, interesting, and encourage interaction among student participants The work students do is usually designed with multiple entry points for access by diverse learners Students are often asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.
ACCEPTABLE	Scientific objectives are generally interesting, and important, and allow interaction among student participants The work students do sometimes has entry points for access by diverse learners Students are sometimes asked to interact and communicate with others in various groups and formats.
NEEDS REVISION	Scientific objectives are neither interesting, nor enlightening, and does not allow interaction among student participants The work students do has few entry points for diverse learners Students are rarely asked to interact with others in various groups and formats to communicate observations, analysis, hypotheses, and findings.

INDICATOR	How do we know when students understand conceptually?
SUPERIOR	Programs create an observable change in behavior(s). The behavior results from a variety of experiences or practices, and the change is enduring Students are able to conceptually apply their understandings of fundamental and underlying principles through multiple presentation or performance formats.
GOOD	Programs create an observable change in behavior(s). The behavior results from some experience or practice, and the change is enduring Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through a variety of presentation or performance formats.
ACCEPTABLE	Programs are insightful, and inspire and influence the acquisition of knowledge and its retention Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through traditional testing formats.
NEEDS REVISION	Programs are information and knowledge-based, and do not influence understanding nor retention of knowledge Students acquire and demonstrate their knowledge of fundamental principles of science through rote memorization and recall.

INDICATOR	How should science be connected to other academic disciplines?
SUPERIOR	Instructional design of materials incorporates other disciplines of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts Education program or materials design a writing component that vigorously exercises essential communication skills (writing, journaling, authoring, and presentations).
GOOD	Instructional design of materials incorporates at least one other discipline of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts Education program or materials have many opportunities to exercise communication skills (writing, journaling, authoring, and presentations).
ACCEPTABLE	Instructional design of materials incorporates at most one other discipline of science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and fine arts Education program or materials have some opportunities to exercise essential communication skills.
NEEDS REVISION	Instructional design of materials has no connection to other academic disciplines Education program or materials have no opportunities to exercise essential communication skills.