Next Generation Natural Science Standards in the USA − Real Change for the Better or Just the Visions of the Authors?

Abstract

Type of Study: A case study based on analysis of documents, describing the characteristics if the new standard for science education in the context of education reforms in the United States of America.

Main Theme: Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represents an innovative approach to the teaching of the natural sciences. It emphasises the integration of the expected outputs of education in the natural sciences with processes supporting their achievement, with a stress on the active investigation of natural phenomena and competences going beyond the limits of the subject itself. It is now five years since the Standards were published and this makes them an interesting case for the study of the contexts leading to the production of a curricular document and the assessment of its influence on teaching in the natural sciences.

Order of Exposition: We present the current political and social contexts and processes leading to the formulation of new American standards of education in the natural sciences. We explain the structure of the NGSS, present the contents with examples, and compare them with previous national standards for the natural sciences. We also describe findings to date on the influence of new standards on the realisation of education in natural sciences in the USA, and on the obstacles to their implementation.

Conclusions: Th e American NGSS constitutes an ambitious document integration the desired knowledge in the field of natural sciences with the processes leading to its acquisition. The course of implementation of the NGSS has been showing up substantial differences in the quality of education across the states of the union and within them. Greater acceptance of the new standards will require the support of teachers in the realisation of teaching aimed at the active investigation of natural phenomena and the inner motivation of teachers to teach in this way.

Keywords: education in the natural sciences, curriculum, curricular reform, standards, Next Generation Science Standards, USA.