Reform and national standards: Implications for the undergraduate education and professional development of science and mathematics teachers

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:111070

Kirwan, W E

Clearly, scientists and teachers have much to offer to the national dialogue on standards and reform in science and mathematics education. In a nation with a highly decentralized K-12 school system and a multitude of independent teacher preparation programs, progress will have to be measured on school district at a time. This fact does not diminish the need for national educational standards, major curriculum projects, and other comprehensive reform efforts. Rather, it recognizes that unless educators at the local level embrace reform concepts, mold them into ideas they can own, have opportunities to share their experiences and learn from others, meaningful reform will not move from the pages of well-intended reports to the nation`s classrooms. This paper discusses the impact of science reform efforts to date, identifies some of the common elements in two reform efforts currently receiving a lot of attention, and offers comments on what new standards and reform might mean for the way universities prepare teachers in the future and offer in-service support for those already in the classroom.

• Research Organization: Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 111070
• Report Number(s): CONF-9404192--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
CHILDREN
EDUCATION
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
LEARNING
RECOMMENDATIONS
SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL
STANDARDS
TRAINING