Teacher enactment of the crosscutting concepts in next generation science classrooms

Bibliographic Data

ID21392946
AuthorsJasmine Marckwordt (0000-0003-3452-4673, WestEd San Francisco California USA), Kimberly Nguyen (0000-0001-7983-1816, WestEd San Francisco California USA), Jonathan Boxerman (0000-0002-0613-0274, WestEd San Francisco California USA), Ashley Iveland (0000-0001-5714-7095, WestEd San Francisco California USA, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume106
Issue2
Pages257-284
Publication date2022-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueScience Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0036-8326 • E-ISSN: 1098-237X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sce.21691
OpenAlexW3213603213
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited21

This exploratory qualitative study examined science teacher enactment of crosscutting concepts (CCCs), a core aspect of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) three‐dimensional learning, which also includes disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices (SEPs). We collected naturalistic observational and interview data from 13 California teachers involved in a major NGSS implementation initiative and analyzed this data by applying four roles of the CCCs in instruction as described by Rivet et al. (2016). The roles these conceptual resources play are: lens, bridge, tool, and rules of the game. Using this schema, we provide thick description of teachers' different purposes for, modes of, and challenges in using CCCs in their instruction. Naturalistic observations provided information about how teachers were using CCCs in their classrooms while interview data revealed the opportunities and challenges teachers perceived in CCC enactment, both of which are little addressed within the emerging body of CCC research. Teachers received extensive professional development (PD) on the NGSS but nevertheless identified CCC enactment as particularly challenging. For this reason, we suggest the four roles of the CCCs, which were indeed reflected in our data set, could be a helpful framework for making the CCCs more accessible and understandable to teachers, and thus more likely to be incorporated into everyday science instruction to enhance student learning. We envision future use of this framework as an epistemic heuristic having the potential to bring more clarity to CCC enactment for researchers, teachers, curriculum developers, and PD providers

CLARITY · Curriculum · Mathematics education · Next Generation Science Standards · Pedagogy · Science education · Chemistry · Computer Science · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Psychology · Science Education and Pedagogy