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Optimizing K-14 Instruction to Infuse 21st Century Skills

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2013

Deborah Day ,
Cindy Guo ,
Nicole Ferrari ,
Heather Edgecumbe  and
Christine Broadbridge
Deborah Day
Affiliation:
Science Research Program, Amity Regional High School, Woodbridge, CT, United States. Dept. of Physics, Southern CT State University, New Haven, CT, United States.
Cindy Guo
Affiliation:
Science Research Program, Amity Regional High School, Woodbridge, CT, United States.
Nicole Ferrari
Affiliation:
Office of Assessment and Planning, Southern CT State University, New Haven, CT, United States.
Heather Edgecumbe
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics, Southern CT State University, New Haven, CT, United States. Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena (CRISP), CRISP at Yale/SCSU, New Haven, CT, United States.
Christine Broadbridge
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics, Southern CT State University, New Haven, CT, United States. Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena (CRISP), CRISP at Yale/SCSU, New Haven, CT, United States.
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Abstract

This multi-phased study investigates the learning outcomes of courses taught in the K-14 classroom. Specifically, the methods and practices teachers use to develop and encourage 21st Century Skills including critical thinking skills and technological fluency in all subject areas, STEM and non-STEM related, are of great interest. Currently, these skills are in high demand in fields which develop advanced materials and are the backbone of the National Academiesdeveloped Frameworks for K-12 Science Education. Phase I participants in this study included high school and college educators while Phase II of the study will involve K-14 students. In this study, educators were asked to rate their teaching self-efficacy in two primary areas: critical thinking skills and technological fluency. This included questions related to components in their current curriculum as well as methods of assessment [e.g., rubrics]. The instrument created to measure self-efficacy was based on a modified ‘Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument' (STEBI). All participants were from Connecticut. Results indicate that both STEM and non-STEM related subject areas offer an equally rich array of opportunities to effectively teach critical thinking and technological fluency at a variety of educational levels. The impact of Professional Development on teacher self-efficacy was of particular importance, especially in K-12 education.

Keywords

educationartbiological
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1583: Symposium EEE – Materials Education—Toward a Lab-to-Classroom Initiative , 2013 , mrss13-1583-eee03-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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