OpenSciEd Completes Suite of High School Course Materials
New York, NY, June 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OpenSciEd, a leading provider of open-resource science curricula, is proud to announce the completion of its comprehensive suite of high school science course materials. These freely available units cultivate a deep understanding of scientific concepts while fostering students' passion for scientific exploration.
Historical approaches to science education are based on rote memorization and were designed to be clear and understandable to those already knowledgeable. This method doesn't support all students and doesn't allow students to engage with science sensemaking like actual scientists.
In OpenSciEd classrooms, students champion their learning under the guidance of their teacher's expertise. The course materials build on students' unique knowledge and experiences, connecting new concepts to familiar contexts through engaging real-world phenomena; students from a variety of scientific backgrounds find their way into the scientific conversation. Through hands-on activities, students actively engage in scientific inquiry and data analysis to develop essential skills for scientific exploration in AP classes, college, and STEM careers.
"Learners build all types of skills as they figure things out during these thought-provoking units! They're collaborating and learning from each other," said Ann Jameson, 9th Grade High School Science Teacher from Cedar Rapids Community School District*. "I love to see learners engage in conversation at different times throughout the units - the phenomena, consensus models, labs/simulations, and putting all the information together."
InquiryHub at the University of Colorado, Boulder, led the creation of high school science materials in partnership with BSCS Science Learning, Northwestern University, and The Charles A. Dana Center. These developers designed the OpenSciEd curriculum so that students become active participants in their learning, asking questions, conducting experiments, and developing solutions like true scientists and engineers. Through extensive field testing, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students nationwide contributed to ensuring the curriculum ignites student curiosity and fosters the critical skills needed for success.
"We're thrilled to release the final OpenSciEd High School units! During the development process, our priority was ensuring the materials aligned with current science teaching standards and kept students actively engaged throughout the learning journey," said Daniel Edelson, Ph.D., Executive Director at BSCS Science Learning. "In the field tests leading up to the release, we've received overwhelming feedback from teachers who report seeing changes in their students' level of engagement, especially those they struggled to reach with traditional science programs."
OpenSciEd professional learning, designed alongside the curriculum, anticipates the challenges teachers face in the classroom and equips them with the knowledge and support to implement the OpenSciEd materials effectively. From free on-demand webinars to virtual and in-person sessions, teachers gain the confidence to use these high-quality materials and create a successful learning experience for their students. A vast network of certified professional learning providers is also available to support districts and teachers in adapting the curriculum in their classrooms.
"Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, our high school course ignites student curiosity through phenomena-based learning," said Jim Ryan, Executive Director of OpenSciEd. "This empowers students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills with hands-on activities that bridge the gap between science concepts and real-world applications. The completion of OpenSciEd High School marks a significant milestone in our mission to give students science learning experiences that motivate them to become the next generation's greatest scientific thinkers and tackle some of the biggest issues of our time."
OpenSciEd is proud and excited to share these course materials with teachers, empowering them to deliver a rigorous science experience. For more information, OpenSciEd encourages educators to check out www.openscied.org to explore the high school course materials and learn how OpenSciEd can help students develop the skills they need to apply scientific knowledge to real-world problems and build a scientific understanding that will make them successful in high school and beyond.
*The above statement was given by an individual teacher and does not suggest endorsement of OpenSciEd by the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
About OpenSciEd:
OpenSciEd is a collaborative effort of leading science researchers and educators, developing open-source learning materials aligned with the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The non-profit is committed to empowering educators and igniting a passion for science in all students by providing high quality, free, open education resources and transformative curriculum-based professional learning. For more information on OpenSciEd, visit www.openscied.org.
Erica Fraser OpenSciEd efraser@openscied.org
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