"Streamlined" Contract Grading—A Performance-Measuring Alternative to Traditional Evaluation Methods: Raising the Importance of Concept Mastery by Reducing the Emphasis on Grades

Journal Article | January 1999

Grading in mass enrollment, introductory labs can easily consume a large amount of the instructor's time. This article features the "streamlined" contract grading scheme which has many potential advantages, including a…

Research and Teaching: Structure and Evaluation of a Flipped General Chemistry Course as a Model for Small and Large Gateway Science Courses at an Urban Public Institution

Journal Article | December 2017

In this article, the authors describe their approach to flipping the General Chemistry sequence at two different colleges within the City University of New York, a large, urban public university system. Our results…

Activity Selection: It’s More Than the Fun Factor—An easy-to-use evaluation form to help select effective science activities

Journal Article | September 1999

Many people assume that if an activity is published or popular, it is a good one. This is often the case when teachers select science activities because they are fun or address a particular science topic, not because…

Fact or phony? Scientifically evaluating data

Blog Post | February 2020

From information about the novel coronavirus to viral posts on social media, it can be a challenge to sort out fact from fiction in what we read on the web. Students face this challenge in their daily reading, too, and…

Evaluating Lessons for Sensemaking Using the NSTA Sensemaking Tool

Professional Learning Unit | September 2022

The NSTA Sensemaking Tool (adapted from the research-based NGSS Lesson Screener) is designed to help educators be critical consumers of curricular materials as well as create and/or revise science lessons to reflect the…

Student self-evaluation: How am I doing?

Blog Post | February 2012

My middle school students frequently ask me “Is this right?” or “What should I do now?” How can I help them become more self-reliant? Jocelyn, Georgia I observed a seventh grade teacher at the beginning of a…

How do we evaluate if a fuel is better for the environment?

Lesson Plan | September 2022

How can we evaluate a solution for addressing disparities in hypertension control?

Lesson Plan | January 2025

Duncan Will Consider State Requests for Flexibility Around Teacher Evaluation and Testing

Blog Post | June 2013

In this edition: Duncan Will Consider State Requests for Flexibility Around Teacher Evaluation and Testing Senator Seeks to Restore STEM Education Programs at Mission Agencies Duncan Will Consider State Requests…