Next Generation Science

Next Generation Science leverages research about how students learn to support improving practice for science teaching and learning, and promotes equitable science learning in student-centered classrooms.

Informed by the National Academies report A Framework for K-12 Science Education, Next Generation Science embodies Powerful Learning that is:

Personal and Accessible, providing opportunities and guidance for students to ask and investigate questions about the natural world and the challenges they face. 

Authentic and Challenging, engaging students in the practices of science and engineering as they explain phenomena and solve problems.

Collaborative and Connected, asking students to work together to identify and solve problems that impact both their community and a wider global audience. 

Inquisitive and Reflective, prompting students to think deeply about how science can be used to answer their questions about the world.

Our Projects

Challenge Based Science Learning: What happens when you engage teachers as designers of Open Educational Resources that support increased student agency and deeper learning in science classrooms? Digital Promise partnered with three school districts from the League of Innovative Schools to answer this question. From December 2018 to September 2019, 18 middle school teachers used the Challenge Based Learning framework to design science experiences that lead to Deeper Learning for students. Explore the toolkit to design your own Challenge Based Science Learning, use the Deeper Learning in Science rubrics to evaluate those experiences, and read our research report to learn how these learning experiences led to more engagement, collaboration, authentic use of science practices, and self-direction for students. 

Computational Thinking for Next Generation Science: How can teachers integrate computational thinking into science classrooms to enhance science practices? The Next Generation Science Standards ask teachers to integrate computational thinking into student learning as a core science and engineering practice. Digital Promise, with the support of Carnegie Corporation of New York, is working with teachers from five school districts to design and pilot open educational resources for integrating computational thinking into middle school science classrooms.