High school science teachers' receptivity to the next generation science standards : an examination of discipline specific factors

Abstract

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), are the biggest change to American science education since the National Science Education Standards (NSES) were published. While inquiry was central to the NSES, science assessment largely addressed factual knowledge acquisition.The NGSS represent a significant practical change for teachers as they mark a return to the ideals specified in the National Science Education Standards (NSES) and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. The purpose of this explanatory sequential, mixed-methods study was to identify and compare the factors that influenced high school science teachers' receptivity to the curricular shifts necessitated by the adoption of the NGSS. The survey data identified three factors as significant predictors of teacher receptivity: teachers' non-monetary cost-benefit analysis, alignment between the NGSS and their current teaching style, and concerns about student readiness. To understand how these factors operate in the classroom, both receptive and nonreceptive teachers were interviewed. In terms of cost-benefit analysis, all teachers agree that time is a significant cost. This includes the time it takes to adapt lessons to the NGSS, and the time it takes to teach in a way that integrates the three parts of the NGSS which are the practices of science and engineering, the crosscutting concepts, and the disciplinary core ideas. In terms of alignment between their teaching style and the NGSS, teachers talked about the lack of examples of what NGSS-aligned instruction looks like and the dearth of accessible high quality professional development. Finally, concerns about students' readiness focused on both inadequate preparation for college-level science coursework and deficits in science instruction in the lower grades.

Effect of Teachers’ Attitudes on Behavioral Intentions toward the New Curriculum Implementation: Mediating Role of Perceived Behavioral Control

“…The study revealed the significant relationships between attitudes, behavioral intentions, and perceived behavioral control (i.e., perceived school support, other support, participation in decision-making, and issues of concern). These results are consistent with the previous studies about curriculum change in the education context (Waugh & Godfrey, 1993;Moroz, 1999;Lee, 2000;Lee et al, 2011;Ha et al, 2010;Shapiro, 2018).…”

“…The questionnaire used in this study contained 41 items, on a 7-point Likert scale, which were adapted from the validated "Receptivity to Change" instruments of Waugh and Godfrey (1993), Lee (2000), and Shapiro (2018). The questionnaire contained the six variables such as teachers' attitudes, behavioral intentions, perceived school support, perceived other support, perceived participation in decision-making, and issues of concern.…”

“…For high validity, the instrument items were adapted from previous related research done successfully by Waugh and Godfrey (1993), Lee (2000), and Shapiro (2018). Further, for the content validity of the research questionnaire, the researcher approached three experts who had special knowledge and experience in the field of study.…”

“…According to the model of teacher receptivity theory by Yin and Lee (2008), the underlying factors of the perceived behavioral controls were defined as school support for the curriculum change, other support, participation in school decision-making, and issues of concerns to be alleviated. Further, many studies proved that teachers' behavioral intentions toward implementing the new curriculum could be predicted by their perceptions of school support (Waugh & Godfrey, 1993;Lee, 2000;, other support (Lee, 2000), participation in decision-making (Waugh & Godfrey, 1993;Moroz, 1999), and issues of concern (Lee, 2000;Shapiro, 2018).…”