This project explores how secondary mathematics teachers can design mathematically captivating learning experiences using the mathematical story framework to improve aesthetic opportunities with complex mathematical content. This study has developed and tested 28 MCLEs. By comparing captivating lessons with those that students describe as dull or boring, we have identified multiple characteristics of captivating mathematics lessons. Also, in addition to raising student interest, MCLEs positively impact teacher and student questioning.

This project seeks to develop and validate learning progressions and items with dynamic features to generate machine-scorable student responses for assessing computational thinking, in a test of college-ready critical reasoning skills, and to integrate these items into an existing online assessment system, the Berkeley Assessment System Software (BASS). This assessment is intended to be useful for formative and summative purposes in high-school and introductory college-level STEM classes, including mathematics and computer science courses.

Through the integration of STEM content and literacy, this project studies the ways teachers implement literacy practices in the STEM classroom. Teachers will facilitate instruction using scenarios that present students with STEM-related issues, presented as scenarios. After reading and engaging with math and science content, students write a source-based argument in which they state a claim, support the claim with evidence from the texts, and explain the multiple perspectives on the issue.

This poster presents results from a randomized controlled trial that examined the efficacy of the Amplify Science Middle School curriculum for improving seventh grade students learning in relation to NGSS performance expectations in physical science. Though the analysis is ongoing, initial findings from the 2019-20 school year demonstrate evidence of promise of the NGSS-designed curriculum materials for supporting three-dimensional teaching and learning. This poster showcases the results and considers implications for research, policy, and practice.

The Advancing Coherent and Equitable Systems of Science Education (ACESSE) project is a deep collaboration between the Council of State Science Supervisors, the University of Washington, and the University of Colorado Boulder. ACESSE brings together educators and researchers to collaboratively research, develop, and promote strategies to make science education more coherent and equitable. Our work focuses on: sensing and guiding improvement, the co-design of professional learning resources, and leadership capacity development for equity.