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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Page 81
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Page 82
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Page 83
Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Convocation Agenda." National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. 2009. Nurturing and Sustaining Effective Programs in Science Education for Grades K-8: Building a Village in California: Summary of a Convocation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12739.
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Page 84

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Appendix A Convocation Agenda CONVOCATION ON SUSTAINING EFFECTIVE SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SCIENCE FOR GRADES K-8 ARNOLD AND MABEL BECKMAN CENTER APRIL 29-30, 2009 Wednesday, April 29 8:15-8:30 Welcoming Remarks and Overview (of the Convocation’s goals and expected outcomes): Bruce Alberts, Moderator (UC San Francisco) National Academy Official Jacqueline Dorrance, Executive Director, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Susan Hackwood, Executive Director, California Council on Science and Technology 8:30-8:45 The Importance of Hands-On, Inquiry-Centered Science Education Bruce Alberts 8:45-9:30 Experiencing Hands-On, Inquiry-Based STEM Education, Part I Sue Neuen, Director of Professional Development, California Science Center Banner designed by Judy Harrington, National Academy of Sciences. 79

80 NURTURING AND SUSTAINING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS Nancy Chung, Fifth Grade Teacher, Tustin Unified School District Observe a lesson with fifth grade students with an empha- sis on inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning. One or two students will sit at each table with convocation participants. 9:30-10:15 Experiencing Hands-On, Inquiry-Based STEM Education, Part II. Presentations and Voices of School Children Maureen Allen, Orange Country Department of Education Students from grades 2-8 in Orange County who have par- ticipated in the Beckman@Science Program will be available in a mini “poster session” to display the work that they have done in science and to answer your questions. Refreshments will be available throughout this session. 10:15-10:45 Teachers’ Reflections on the Morning’s Activities and General Discussion Nancy Chung Susan Pritchard, California Science Teachers Association Anne-Marie Bergen, California Teacher Advisory Council 10:45-11:45 How Can the Research Literature Inform Decisions About What Can and Should Be Sustained in Science Education for Grades K-8? Jeanne Century, Director of Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education, University of Chicago Dr. Century will provide participants with an overview of the work that has been done to study and understand sus- tainable programs in science education. It will emphasize the importance of making evidence-based decisions about any programs that might emerge in California. 11:45-12:30 Lunch

APPENDIX A 81 12:30-1:15 The National Picture and Its Relevance to the Opportunities and Challenges in California for Nurturing and Sustaining Science Education in Grades K-8 Kathy DiRanna, WestEd 1:15-2:15 Facilitated Panel Discussion and Participant Engagement: Some Examples of What’s Working in K-8 Science Education Bruce Alberts, Facilitator Jacqueline Dorrance, Executive Director, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation: Beckman@Science Program Carlo Parravano, Executive Director, Merck Institute for Science Education: Merck Science Program Jeffrey Estes, Washington State LASER Program: Washington State LASER (Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform) This session will examine science education programs that evaluations have deemed to be successful. Questions to be explored in this session for each initiative: • Brief Description of Each Project • Data Collected • Strategies for Sustainability • Challenges Faced 2:15-2:30 Refreshment Break and Move to Breakout Sessions 2:30-4:00 Facilitated Breakout Sessions: Facilitators: Peg Benzie, Beckman@Science, Orange Unified School District Susie Crandall, ScienceWorks, Fountain Valley School District Frank Frisch, Science Teaching and Research (STAR) Institute, Chapman University Margaret Gaston, Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning Harry Helling, Crystal Cove State Park Cooperative Association (planning committee member) Pattie Romero, Beckman@Science Coordinator, Arovista Elementary School

82 NURTURING AND SUSTAINING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS In light of what you experienced in the morning hands-on sessions and heard from the panelists and Jeanne Century, what needs to be in place to sustain high-quality science education for grades K-8? How can we sustain these pro- grams? Your challenge is to look at all the stakeholders and come up with support strategies and sustainability solutions. Participants will be assigned to breakout sessions so that each session has multiple kinds of expertise and perspec- tives. Each breakout session will delve more deeply into each of the programs described in the morning, with pre- senters from that session serving as expert resources. The specific goal of each session will be to focus on sustainability issues. To promote far-ranging discussions based on a spectrum of expertise and perspectives, each participant has been assigned to a breakout session. Refreshments will be available in a common area beginning at 3:00. 4:00-4:15 End Breakout Sessions and Return to Plenary Session 4:15-5:00 Reports from Breakout Sessions and General Discussion Bruce Alberts • Beckman@Science Group 1 • Beckman@Science Group 2 • Merck Institute for Science Education • Washington State LASER 5:00-5:30 Reception for All Participants 5:30-6:30 Dinner for All Participants 6:30-7:30 Building a Village: It Actually Takes a State Arthur Levine, President, Woodrow Wilson Foundation This presentation discusses why sustained improvements in education need to occur at the state level, focusing on the leverage and opportunity whole state strategies offer.

APPENDIX A 83 Thursday, April 30 8:15-9:15 Moving Toward a Statewide Vision of Nurturing and Sustaining Science Education in Grades K-8: What Will Be Required? Dennis Bartels, Exploratorium Rena Dorph, Lawrence Hall of Science 9:15-9:45 Connections with Newly Emerging Initiatives in California: California STEM Network Project Supported by the Gates Foundation and the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation Susan Hackwood, California Council for Science and Technology Susan Elrod, Director, Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education, Cal Poly Brian Kaplan, Silicon Valley Education Foundation Qualitative Examination of the Preparation of Elementary School Teachers to Teach Science in California Eilene Cross, California Council on Science and Technology The National Academies’ Study on K-12 Engineering Education: Potential Implications for California Greg Pearson, National Academy of Engineering 9:45-10:15 Plenary Discussion: Deeper Exploration of Statewide Goals: Multiple Perspectives and Expertise Jay Labov, National Academy of Sciences The goals of this session are for everyone to 1. discuss in greater detail the other projects that are either under way or planned for California, as described in the previous session, and 2. consider from various perspectives the “required elements” for sustaining effective programs in K-8 science education that were articulated by Dennis Bartels and Rena Dorph. These discussions will then inform the next set of breakout s ­ essions where participants will discuss specific plans for action with others in their sector of the education community.

84 NURTURING AND SUSTAINING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS 10:15-10:30 Refreshment Break and Move to Breakout Session #2 10:30-12:15 Breakout Session #2: Deeper Exploration of Statewide Goals: What Can Each Sector of the Education Community Contribute? These breakout sessions will explore how the various sectors represented at this convocation can contribute to nurturing and growing successful programs in science education for grades K-8. The goal will be for participants in each breakout to begin developing models for sustainability of K-8 science education both regionally and across the state. The following breakout groups will meet: • Business and Industry • Foundations • Education Administration (local and state levels) • Education Researchers • Informal Education • K-12 and Higher Education Faculty Participants who are not in one of these groups should join the breakout session of their choice. Refreshments will be available throughout these breakout sessions. 12:15-12:30 Break—Obtain lunch in dining room and return to the atrium for lunch and final plenary. 12:30-1:15 Brief Reports from Each of the Breakout Sessions 1:15-2:00 Summary and Closing Remarks—Challenge to Continue the Process Additional details about possible next steps for follow-up activities and who might be involved. Summary by Bruce Alberts, Members of the Organizing Committee, and Convocation Participants

Next: Appendix B: Convocation Participants »
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K-8 science education in California (as in many other parts of the country) is in a state of crisis. K-8 students in California spend too little time studying science, many of their teachers are not well prepared in the subject, and the support system for science instruction has deteriorated. A proliferation of overly detailed standards and poorly conceived assessments has trivialized science education. And all these problems are likely to intensify: an ongoing fiscal crisis in the state threatens further cutbacks, teacher and administrator layoffs, and less money for professional development.

A convocation held on April 29-30, 2009, sought to confront the crisis in California science education, particularly at the kindergarten through eighth grade level. The convocation, summarized in this volume, brought together key stakeholders in the science education system to enable and facilitate an exploration of ways to more effectively, efficiently, and collectively support, sustain, and communicate across the state concerning promising research and practices in K-8 science education and how such programs can be nurtured by communities of stakeholders.

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