Case Study: You and the National Science Education Standards
Objective:
To establish personal goals for professional development in secondary science teaching.
Description:
This case study is a self-assessment of your interests related to secondary science teaching. The context for the self-assessment is the set of Science Teaching Standards of the National Science Education Standards. That is, you will relate your personal goals relate to standards for what science teachers ought to know and be able to do.
1. State your professional development goals
List the kinds of things you would like to do while teaching your students. A few topics to get you started are provided at the bottom of this page to help you. Also list your most important goals related to teaching science. These lists are your starting place. For the time being, consider these your personal professional development goals. Understand that they will change over time.
2. Study the Science Teaching Standards
Examine Chapter Three of the National Standards. Decide which of the 25 competencies in the six teaching standards best relates to each item in your list.
3. Produce a table showing how your goals relate to the standards
Make a table (see example below) that shows how your goals relate to the standards. Shoot for relatively few goals. Here is an example of how to relate a professional development goal to the standards:
| Professional Development Goal | Science Teaching Standard |
| 1. I want to learn some strategies that I can use to encourage students to discuss their ideas in class and small groups. | B: Teachers of science orchestrate discourse among students about scientific ideas. |
Note: A self-assessment is naturally an individual assignment, but feel free to discuss the task with others.
Possible topics
| Life science | Earth science | Physical science | Integrating science with other disciplines |
| Showing how science is fun | Following science education policy in the state I wish to teach | Hands-on activities | History of science |
| STS curricular approaches | Environmental education | Science fairs | Helping children design experiments or conduct investigations |
| Multiculturalism and classroom diversity | Gender issues | Critical thinking | Teaching students how to study & learn by themselves |
| Preparation for college science classes | Laboratory skills | Instructional technology | Children's literature |
Relevant readings:
The Science Teaching Standards of the National Science Education Standards (1996).
This page based on a web page written by:
Dr. Michael Smith
University of Delaware
EDSS 450C
