Teaching Science in the 21st-Century Classroom
Today’s student learns differently. The 21st-century student deserves and demands an interactive and student-centric approach to learning. This presents many challenges to educators, including meeting the needs of students with diverse learning styles such as English language learners, special needs students, and advanced and below-grade-level readers. The effective science teacher uses innovative, research-based instructional strategies to facilitate achievement in science for all students. Differentiation, universal design for learning, project-based learning, and brain-based learning are just a few of these strategies. This strand will increase participants' knowledge of and expertise in the integration of these and other innovative pedagogies for helping students attain high standards.
Goals
To provide workshops and presentations focusing on one or more of the following:
• Differentiation and culturally responsive teaching in science classrooms.
• Effectively integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance student learning and support science teacher professional development.
• Teaching practices such as universal design for learning, response to intervention (RTI), or multiple intelligences.
• Implementing cognitive science to enhance learning.
• Inquiry-based instruction and its impact on student learning.

Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated on the extent that they:
• Promote the use of teaching strategies to match the learning styles of today’s learners.
• Provide evidence of effective use of innovative teaching strategies.
• Share examples of effective learning/achievement in “21st-century” learners.
• Align with one or more strand goals.
• Align with state and national science education standards (NSES and Benchmarks).
• Are based on current and available research and issues in science.
• Involve participants through activities and/or discussion.