This project comprises a series of four planning meetings - 3 focus group sessions and a final conference - designed to inform the planning of science curriculum reform. It brings together individuals from diverse disciplines and perspectives - vis. science, mathematics, cognitive science, curriculum theory and development, organization theory, policy analysis and practice - to discuss, in depth, aspects of the interaction of school organization, science teaching and learning, and policy. This year-long effort of conceptualization and planning will result in two substantive products. One will be an issue paper submitted to the Directorate for Science and Engineering Education that will provide information to the Foundation about the development and support of curricular reform initiatives in science. The second will be a paper developed for school practitioners and reformers. It will integrate the best knowledge and practice in areas of science education, teaching, curriculum reform, and planned change to offer advice to educators pursuing new models of science education. The project is being led by a diverse group of core participants: Milbrey McLaughlin, Leon Henken, Jerome Pine, Lee Shulman, James Greeno, and Penelope Eckert. They will be convened in the summer of the planning effort and will engage other experts from similar backgrounds - but from a variety of different settings and experiences - in each of the focus group sessions. The iterative planning effort will generate a rich understanding of the current status in re research, practice, and organization policy and change vis. research, planning and implementation of science curricular reform initiatives in school settings. The cost sharing by Stanford University amounts to 21% of the amount requested of the Foundation.
