This page contains information for high school district/school administrators participating in the National OpenSciEd High School Field Test project.
Benefits to Participating
Participation and input on a research-based national project intended to transform high school science teaching and learning
Benefits to Districts |
Field Test Teacher Benefits |
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The table below includes the dates for upcoming unit curriculum trainings and unit implementation. The column for “Unit Curriculum Convening Windows” indicates when we will meet virtually to learn about the next unit for implementation. The column “Unit Implementation/Field Test Window” indicates when the unit should be completely implemented and data submitted.
UNITS | Unit Curriculum Convening Dates | Unit Implementation/Field Test Completion |
BIO Unit 1, CHEM Unit 1, PHYS Unit 1 | July 2021 (Completed) | By 11/30/2021 (Completed) |
BIO Unit 3 | December 10–11, 2021 (Completed) | By 3/31/2022 (Completed) |
BIO Unit 4, CHEM Unit 4, PHYS Unit 5 | March 4–5, 2022, from 8:00am–4:00pm MT (Completed) | By 6/18/2022 (Completed) |
KEY:
Completed |
Currently Implementing |
Upcoming Unit |
UNITS | Unit Curriculum Convening Dates | Unit Implementation/Field Test Completion |
BIO Unit 2, CHEM Unit 2, PHYS Unit 2 | July 18–19, 2022, from 8:00am–4:00pm MT (Completed) | After Unit 1 (by 12/23/2022) |
CHEM Unit 3, PHYS Unit 3 | October 21–22, 2022, from 8:00am–4:00pm MT in Albuquerque | After Unit 2 (by 3/3/2023) |
PHYS Unit 4 | January 20–21, 2023, from 8:00am–4:00pm MT in Albuquerque | After Unit 3 (by 4/28/2023) |
BIO Unit 5, CHEM Unit 5, PHYS Unit 6 | February 24–25, 2023, from 8:00am–4:00pm MT in Albuquerque | After Unit 4 (by 5/26/2023) |
KEY:
Completed |
Currently Implementing |
Upcoming Unit |
Educators would be asked to teach the courses in the order identified each year. In Year 1, this involves 2–3 units (depending upon the course). In Year 2, teachers would be asked to teach the full course in order with data only being collected from units in black.
SY 2021–22 | SY 2022–23 | |
Biology
5 units |
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Chemistry
5 units |
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Physics
6 units |
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The OpenSciEd developers and State Steering Committee have put together guidance for field test teachers this year in implementing the entire course. This guidance gives teachers the opportunity to teach all the units in order, with the exception of P.5, which will come at the end of the year. More importantly, it provides an opportunity for teachers to address all of the standards as outlined in the scope and sequence. This plan will require careful attention to the number of days teachers spend on each unit to ensure that teacher feedback is captured during the data collection periods.
As part of this plan, teachers will teach the Year 1 field test units (not revised units) in sequence with the Year 2 field test units. Teachers should feel free to modify the Year 1 field test units based on their experience, keeping in mind the standards addressed by the unit and the maximum number of days allotted for each unit.
You can access the guidance below:
The PED Expectations:
- Provide the following materials for the OpenSciEd field test:
- Specialized materials – Those specialized non-consumable materials needed to enact the units
- Basic materials – consumable materials needed per unit.
- Provide participating teachers a stipend of five hundred dollars ($500.00) each semester for a total of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for completing the requirements of the field test as outlined in “Field Test Teachers” section.
- Pay the costs of the venue for the PL, mileage and lodging (if the teachers are traveling more than 60 miles one way).
- Provide curriculum support convenings each semester for all field test teachers to attend
District/School Expectations:
- Participate in this initiative from the SY2021–22 to SY2022–23.
- Provide participating field test teachers stipends/substitute costs for attending all professional learning events during the two-year field test:
- Summer Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (four ½ days) of interactive, virtual professional learning on July 19–22, 2021. This is for all teachers field testing Biology, Chemistry and Physics units.
- Fall Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, virtual professional learning on December 10–11, 2021. This is for all teacher field testing the second Biology unit.
- Winter Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, virtual professional learning on March 4–5, 2022. This is for all teachers field testing Biology, Chemistry and Physics units.
- Summer 2022 Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, in-person professional learning on July 18–19, 2022. This is for all teachers field testing Biology, Chemistry and Physics units.
- Fall 2022 Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, in-person professional learning on October 21–22, 2022. This is for all teachers field testing Chemistry and Physics units.
- Winter 2023 Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, in-person professional learning on January 20–21, 2023. This is for all teachers field testing Physics units.
- Spring 2023 Curriculum Support Convening: Up to 16 hours (two full days) of interactive, in-person professional learning on February 24–25, 2023. This is for all teachers field testing Biology, Chemistry and Physics units.
- Ensure that the participating teachers have release time for up to 80 hours of face-to-face/virtual professional learning during the school year (including the Summer, Fall and Winter Curriculum Convening).
- Ensure that the participating teachers have release for time after school for up to nine (9) of ten (10) state collaborative meetings during the school year.
- Ensure teachers are implementing units as follows:
- Biology field test teachers are implementing two instructional units in the Fall semester of 2021 and one instructional unit in the Spring semester of 2022. Each unit is designed to take 4–6 weeks to implement.
- Chemistry field test teachers are implementing one instructional unit in the Fall semester of 2021 and one instructional unit in the Spring semester of 2022. Each unit is designed to take 4–6 weeks to implement.
- Physics field test teachers are implementing one instructional unit in the Fall semester of 2021 and one instructional unit in the Spring semester of 2022. Each unit is designed to take 4–6 weeks to implement.
- Biology field test teachers are implementing five instructional units during the SY2022–23 per guidance provided be OpenSciEd.
- Chemistry field test teachers are implementing five instructional units during the SY2022–23 per guidance provided be OpenSciEd.
- Physics field test teachers are implementing six instructional units during the SY2022–23 per guidance provided be OpenSciEd.
- Support the teachers in field testing the pilot units with fidelity. This may include, but is not limited to, instructional coaching support. In Year 2, participants must teach the full year of the course.
- Work with the project researchers to provide access and permissions for observations and classroom data collection associated with field tests. This will involve helping the researchers navigate any district-specific Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes.
- Provide field test teachers student printed materials
- Ensure students can complete surveys/assessments online (minimum of 1 device per 3 students needed)
- Ensure field test teachers are providing feedback through a variety of methods, for an estimated time commitment of no more than 3 hours across both units, including but not limited to surveys, end of unit interviews, instructional logs, student work samples, and student exit tickets.
- Ensure focal field test teachers are providing feedback to OpenSciEd using a variety of data collection instruments including the following:
- End of unit surveys.
- Share student work examples for each unit.
- Administering 1 student exit ticket per unit to students.
- Administering pre/post assessments to students (in Year 2 of the field test).
- Administering a student end-of-course survey (in Year 2 of the field test).
Field Test Teacher Expectations
- Attend all days of PL for the 5 field test units (9–10 days)
- Field test OpenSciEd units with fidelity
- In year 2, participants should teach the full year of the course
- Participate in any state collaboration requirements
- Provide feedback to OpenSciEd using a variety of data collection instruments including the following:
- end of unit surveys
- share student work examples for each unit
- administering 1 student exit ticket per unit to students
- administering pre/post assessments to students (in Year 2 of the field test)
- administering a student end-of-course survey (in Year 2 of the field test)
- interviews/learning logs