Professional Development Courses

INTRODUCTION TO PHENOMENA

An overview on using relevant real-world scientific observations to focus classroom activities and assessments. Employing phenomena in instruction and assessment is a core aspect of curricula based on the Next Generation Science Standards and similar state-specific 3D standards.

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA I (FULL VERSION - TWO DAYS)

A detailed discussion of using real-world observations (phenomena) to focus activities and assessments that are aligned to three dimensional science standards. Participants explore and map student proficiency for three-dimensional standards and review the structure and intended use of each dimension. They study phenomenon characteristics, criteria, and pitfalls, and then evaluate example phenomena and learn the differences between anchors and investigative phenomena. They discuss phenomena for complex standards and then brainstorm their own phenomenon ideas. Participants are “walked-through” a phenomenon-focused set of activities and experience a second set as students (each set relating to a different phenomenon). Classroom implementation of phenomenon-based 3D lessons is discussed. The course culminates with participants developing an activity set focused on a phenomenon of their choosing.

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA I (SHORTENED VERSION - ONE DAY)

This shortened version of the course introduces the concept of using real-world scientific observations (phenomena) to focus activities and assessments aligned to threedimensional standards. Participants briefly review the structure of three-dimensional standards. They explore phenomenon characteristics, criteria, and pitfalls, and then review and evaluate example phenomena. Participants are “walked through” a phenomenon-focused set of activities. The course culminates with participants sketching out rough ideas for a second activity set (aligned to a different phenomenon).

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA I (ONLINE)

This is an online presentation of the shortened version of Standards and Phenomena I. An instructor oversees the chat, allowing participants to ask questions and maintaining as much interaction as possible. We run the course over four two-hour sessions scheduled at your convenience.

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA II (THREE DAYS)

This in-depth advanced course picks up where Standards and Phenomena I ends. Participants explore the student-centered performance intent of the practices and crosscutting concepts and the process of accounting for the grade-level progressions of each dimension. They craft engineering design problems and evaluate phenomena for complicated standards. They build sequences of related phenomena as a strategy to fully address the science content covered by standards and devise anchors with which to tie those activity sets together into cohesive units. They then devise a phenomenon for a standard of their choice and draft a detailed blueprint for an associated set of classroom activities and embedded formative assessments. Opportunities are built in to discuss and evaluate ideas for lessons and their classroom implementation.

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA II (ONLINE)

This is an online presentation of Standards and Phenomena II. An instructor oversees the chat, allowing participants to ask questions and maintaining as much interaction as possible. We run the course over 12 two-hour sessions scheduled at your convenience.

STANDARDS AND PHENOMENA BUNDLE (FOUR DAYS)

Because Standards and Phenomena II builds upon the material covered in Standards and Phenomena I, we can eliminate some necessary review and redundancy in the advanced course and bundle the two offerings together into a comprehensive marathon about three-dimensionally aligned classroom activities that are focused on phenomena.

DIGGING INTO THREE-DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS (ONLINE)

For alumni of Standards and Phenomena I, we offer in depth discussions of student proficiency and phenomena for an individual performance expectation (or related three-dimensional state-standard) of your choice.

ASSESSING THE THREE DIMENSIONS (ONE DAY)

This advanced course covers best practices in measuring student progress and reviews several common approaches to assessing three-dimensional science standards. Participants evaluate phenomena for selected standards and explore test questions and prompts where students apply combinations of the three-dimensions to address those phenomena. This course is most effective if it follows Standards and Phenomena I.

ASSESSING THE THREE DIMENSIONS (ONLINE)

This is an online presentation of Assessing the Three Dimensions. An instructor oversees the chat, allowing participants to ask questions and maintaining as much interaction as possible. We run the course over four two-hour sessions scheduled at your convenience.

ASSESSING THREE-DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS BUNDLE (TWO DAYS)

Assessing the Three-Dimensions builds upon content covered in Standards and Phenomena I, so we can bundle them together into a comprehensive overview of three-dimensional proficiency and assessment.

WRITING ASSESSMENTS TO THE THREE DIMENSIONS (FIVE DAYS)

This workshop teaches participants how to craft phenomenon-focused, three-dimensional performance task assessments at both the formative and summative levels. The first two and a half days involve training on best practices in evaluation of student performance. This phase includes relevant parts of the standards and phenomena courses and discussions of bias and sensitivity in assessment writing. The balance of time involves participants writing and peer-reviewing assessments for selected three-dimensional standards (focused on phenomena that are presented to them and on phenomena they brainstorm themselves).