11/22/13
HAYS, Kan. -- With the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards, teacher candidates at Fort Hays State University will benefit from several changes in the area of science education. This semester, 18 teacher candidates are in the science methods course.

"The NGSS expect more from students through active involvement and exploration," said Megan Hake, Tipton senior. "It's beneficial to learn them now because we have other instructors and peers to collaborate with."

"They are in depth and intense," said Kelsey Schowengendt-Marquez, Dodge City senior. "I think teachers will have more fun teaching science because it is more hands-on oriented. It is different because we don't have to change how we are doing things because it is all new to us."

NGSS is a new set of voluntary, rigorous and internationally benchmarked standards for K-12 science education. Kansas is one of seven states that adopted these new standards and was a lead state for the developing them. In June 2013, Kansas adopted the NGSS as the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards for Science.

"The Next Generation Science Standards engage students in hands-on science exploration, student-led investigation and evidence-based data collection," said Stephanie Muth, instructor in teacher education.

Due to the NGSS, Muth said, she had to re-evaluate the way lesson plans were being developed and implemented in her methods course. As of the fall semester, the methods course began using the 5-E Model Lesson Plan. The 5E's represent five stages of a sequence for teaching and learning: engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate.

"This model describes a teaching sequence that can be used for entire programs, specific units and individual lessons," she said.

In conjunction with each methods course, students are required to take a corresponding internship. As a part of the science internship experience, teacher candidates participate in the After School Science Program.