Collaboration, partnerships, and networks can be powerful mechanisms for supporting the changes called for by A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (National Research Council, 2012; hereafter referred to as “the Framework”) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) through sharing expertise and strategies. Networks can include people working within school systems, such as collaboration of leaders across states, or among teachers across schools and districts, or even within schools across grades. Networks also can connect the school or district with external partners.
The NGSS have already been adopted by several states and districts, while others have adopted new standards that share some part of the vision and will require similar changes to instruction, teachers learning, and curriculum. Some states or districts are providing professional learning experiences based on A Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012) while awaiting regularly scheduled standards revisions to consider adopting new standards.
To enhance the capacity of district and state leaders charged with implementing the NGSS (or standards that closely resemble the NGSS) to rapidly share data about effective strategies, materials developed, and results achieved, cross-state efforts will be critical. Such work has already begun with the efforts of Building Capacity for State Science Education, a network organized by the Council of State Science Supervisors, and Achieve's NGSS Network for states that have adopted the NGSS. Such networks have the potential to (1) build and sustain a community of practice among the people who are implementing the NGSS; (2) codify, organize, and share knowledge about effective approaches and practices; (3) serve as a forum for new science education leaders to connect and learn from those with more experience; and (4) provide a locus for scientists and education researchers to connect with science education leaders, both to aid the flow of research-based approaches to the field and to provide researchers a window on problems of practice and of large-scale implementation of demanding new standards that need further study.
Networks among similar schools and districts within a state or across states can be especially helpful for supporting implementation. For example, schools that serve similar student populations or districts that face common challenges of distance or limited resources would be helped by opportunities to share strategies. Similarly, schools and districts that follow similar instructional models or adopt the same curriculum materials can collaborate productively on developing and sharing materials and strategies. Technology can play an important role in facilitating communication and sharing of materials among network members.
At a more local level, district and school leaders can identify other schools, districts, or science-rich organizations in the region that are working on implementation of the NGSS and form collaborations to share ideas and resources. For example, collaboration can allow for pooling of resources across districts to provide special programs focused on supporting novice teachers as they work to implement the NGSS (Weiss and Pasley, 2006). Once partnerships and networks are established, resources need to be devoted to maintaining them, including people to facilitate the collaborations and to help maintain communication among partners. It might also need to include funding to cover the costs of the technology used to facilitate sharing of information and materials (costs of computers, virtual meetings, maintaining a website and file space, etc.). These resources may come from external partners as well as from school districts. Collaborations, networks, and partnerships should be monitored to determine how well they are functioning and make changes when necessary.
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