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A Review of Practice-Based Literature on Teaching about Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems to Elementary Students

Authors: Meredith L. Hayes, Courtney L. Plumley, P. Sean Smith, and R. Keith Esch

Date: May 2018

This report summarizes the findings of a systematic review of practice-based literature on teaching about interdependent relationships in ecosystems to upper elementary students.  The report is a product of the Knowledge Assets to Support the Science Instruction of Elementary Teachers (ASSET)  project.  ASSET is exploring a method for collecting and synthesizing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).  Literature reviews and discussions with experts will help determine what is known in the field about teaching and learning of each of the key ideas, including common patterns of student thinking and successful instructional strategies.

A Review of Practice-Based Literature on Teaching about Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems to Elementary Students (PDF, 1M)

Copyright and Usage: Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) holds the copyright on this report. HRI grants permission for unlimited use, whether the entire report or excerpts, for non-commercial purposes. The report should be cited as follows:

Hayes, M. L., Plumley, C. L., Smith, P. S., & Esch, R. K. (2018). A Review of Practice-Based Literature on Teaching about Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems to Elementary Students. Chapel Hill, NC: Horizon Research, Inc.

STEM Teacher Ambassador Program

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), in collaboration with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), established the STEM Teacher Ambassador project. The project is identifying teachers who have received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) to serve as STEM Teacher Ambassadors, advocating for STEM education in their district and state. In the two-year span of the project, 10 teachers will be selected as Ambassadors annually with the ultimate goal of establishing a national network of teacher leaders who will serve as advocates in every state. Horizon Research, Inc. serves as the external evaluator for this project.

Promoting Lifelong STEM Learning Through a Focus on Conservation, Geospatial Technology, and Community Engagement

University of Connecticut

The Promoting Lifelong STEM learning through a Focus on Conservation, Geospatial Technology, and Community Engagement project, based at the University of Connecticut (UCONN), is a collaboration among the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE), the Neag School of Education, the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR), and the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering (CESE). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the primary goal of the project is to promote lifelong STEM learning and engagement fostered by intergenerational partnerships between high school students and adult community members working on environmental conservation projects.

Horizon Research, Inc. serves as the external evaluator for the project.

The 2018 NSSME+

National Science Foundation

In response to numerous requests for information regarding the status of K–12 STEM education in the United States, Horizon Research, Inc. and Westat Inc. are conducting the 2018 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME+). The plus symbol reflects the study’s added emphasis on computer science and engineering, two disciplines that are increasingly prominent in discussions about K–12 STEM education and college and career readiness. This study is the sixth in a series of surveys dating back to a 1977 study commissioned by the National Science Foundation. The 2018 NSSME+ will assess changes over time and provide current data on essential elements of the STEM education system, data that will inform future education policy and practice. Additional information can be found on the study’s website: http://horizon-research.com/NSSME/

Collaborative Research: The Next Generation of STEM Teacher Preparation in Washington State

Western Washington University

The Next Generation of STEM Teacher Preparation project is a collaborative effort focused on improving STEM teacher preparation across partner institutions in Washington State. With representation from multiple sectors (e.g., higher education, P–12 education, business, government, non-governmental organizations), this NSF-funded project aims to leverage collective expertise to initiate, support, and sustain change to STEM teacher preparation and recruitment efforts statewide.

Horizon Research, Inc. serves as the external evaluator for the project.

A Model of Educational Transformation: Developing a Community of Faculty Implementing Next Generation Physical Science and Everyday Thinking

California State University, San Marcos

Led by physics educators and researchers at CSU-San Marcos, CU-Boulder, San Diego State University, Tennessee Technological University, and the University of Maryland, this project is creating a cohort of 50 physics education faculty who are implementing a physics and physical science curriculum for pre-service elementary teachers (NextGen PET). Faculty will participate in a virtual community that will support their implementation efforts. The project is studying this approach as a means to transform physics instruction at both the individual and institutional level.

Horizon Research, Inc. serves as the external evaluator for the project.