Amelia Wenk Gotwals (center), assistant professor of science education, interacts with Michigan educators.
Michigan State University hosted the first meeting of MI Sci, a new learning community for science education leaders across the state, at the Kellogg Center on Jan. 15.
The group, which will hold monthly, mostly virtual meetings, was established to raise the level of communication and collaboration among PK-12 and college educators responsible for developing curriculum, assessments and teacher learning in science education. This includes staff at intermediate school districts and math and science centers, professional organizations and university faculty members.
“This is like a dream come true,” said Dave Krebs, MI Sci coordinator and director of instructional services for the Muskegon Area Math and Science Center, at the gathering of approximately 70 people. “Think of all the duplication that’s occurring and all the collaboration that could be occurring.”
The daylong launch event was sponsored by the College of Natural Science, the College of Education and the CREATE for STEM Institute, a research center committed to improving teaching in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The most significant change facing science educators is the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which identify content and science and engineering practices that all students should learn from kindergarten to high school graduation.
“(NGSS) is probably the biggest change to science education we’ve had in the last 120 years,” said Steve Best, assistant director of the Office of Education Improvement and Innovation in the Michigan Department of Education. “We need your help because you are the leaders, seeing what’s happening out there in classrooms firsthand.”
MI Sci was created by the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Education and the Michigan Science Teachers Association.
For more information, contact Dave Krebs, dkrebs@muskegonisd.org.