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Empowering Teachers …Leading Change
www.njctl.org [email protected]
New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning
Robert Goodman, Ed.D
Executive Director
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
&
Teacher
Bergen County Technical HS - Teterboro
[email protected] www.njctl.org
Systems Thinking
When a system is broken.
Improving all its users is not the solution.
Improving the system is the answer.
Trying to improve all the users of a system is expensive, frustrating, and ineffectual.
Systems Thinking
In a well designed system:
Good users of the system making a good effort achieve great results.
In a broken system:
Great users making a great effort achieve only good results.
Good users making a good effort achieve poor results.
Our Current System of Education
“The best in-school predictor of student learning is the quality of the teacher.”
The conclusion often taken from this is that we “just” need to improve all the teachers
An alternative conclusion is that the system of education is broken
Our Current System of Education
“The best in-school predictor of student learning is the quality of the teacher”
High levels of student failure and wide variance between teacher performance reveal a poor system.
We must transform our system of education.
Technology has made transformation possible.
Our Current System of Education
It’s useful to look at a couple of other examples of systems thinking outside of education to see how to solve this problem within education.
First, an apocryphal story
Then, a real example.
An Apocryphal Town Hall Meeting
At a town hall meeting the problem of a local intersection was discussed.
Dangerous Intersection
As the town had grown, an increasing number of accidents were occurring at this intersection.
Best Predictor of Success
The local driving school shared data showing that the biggest predictor of safely traversing the intersection was the quality of the driver.
Driver Evaluation
And that for about $1000 per driver, they could evaluate all the drivers in town for their driving quality to identify the highest quality drivers.
Evaluating Evaluators
This required creating a system of evaluating all drivers, which required creating many new driving evaluators.
So, a system had to be created for evaluating the driving evaluators as well as the drivers.
And then a system for retraining the drivers who failed the evaluation had to be created.
Budget Priority
Driving safety is a high town priority so the town agreed to the expense.
They committed a large proportion of their budget to evaluate everyone in town, and retrain those who needed it, raising the average quality of their drivers.
Outcome of Evaluation & Training
The training and evaluation program required a tax increase of 25%.
People started leaving town; they couldn’t afford to live there.
And those who lost their driving licenses left as well.
And the intersection still wasn’t safe.
The town was in decline.
A Radical Proposal
With the town on the edge of collapse, a radical proposal was made.
Systemic ChangeSo Any Reasonable Driver Succeeds
A traffic light would make the intersection safe for any good driver making a reasonable effort.
Systemic ChangeSo Any Reasonable Driver Succeeds
With a good system, most people will succeed with a reasonable effort.
Improving systems is cheaper, easier and yields better results than improving all those who use them.
Japanese vs. American Cars in the 1970s
U.S. auto companies lost market share rapidly to Japanese car companies in the 1970s due to quality and price.
Many believed that American workers could not produce the same quality, at the same price, as Japanese workers.
But, it was later shown that Japanese cars were designed with half the parts as American cars.
Lean Thinking
Fewer parts, meant lower cost and fewer errors in production.
This was part of an overall more effective system of designing and producing cars: Lean Thinking.
It was not the workers, it was the quality of the system.
Now, that Lean Thinking has been adopted in the U.S., quality and price are competitive.
W. Edwards Deming
The Japanese had adopted the philosophy of an American in designing their system of production: W. Edwards Deming.
His philosophy was only adopted in the U.S. after transforming Japan.
Fundamental to his philosophy is to never blame the workers for poor quality, that is always the result of management.
Deming Quotes
“The worker is not the problem. The problem is at the top! Management!”
“…don’t blame the singers (workers) if the song is written poorly (the system is the problem); instead, rewrite the music (fix the system).”
Good Books for Systems Thinking
Good Books for Systems Thinking
Progressive Science Initiative (PSI) & Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMI)
Every system must address a need.
PSI-PMI was designed to address the need that:
States and countries must improve student learning in science and mathematics as an issue of social justice and international competitiveness
Science and Mathematics
Many 21st century jobs require prerequisite learning in science and mathematics:
Science MedicineTechnology Computer ScienceEngineering Agricultural ScienceMathematics Veterinary Science,
Mining, etc.
Employment in these fields is strong and growing
Science and Mathematics
Many other 21st century jobs are linked to the analytical thinking of science and mathematics:
Business Investment BankingFinance LawUrban Planning Corporate PlanningDesign Architecture, etc.
Global Competition
All nations must improve student achievement in science and mathematics:
For the direct advantage provided in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
AND
For the indirect advantage of developing more people who can think analytically in other fields
Equity and Access
All students must learn math and science to have a fair chance at the jobs of the future
This is essential to the life of each student
AND
This is essential to the future of their country; each country must realize the potential of all its citizens
The Problem
In the past, there were jobs for people without the mental tools of math and science
Those jobs are shrinking in number
We can no longer accept students leaving school unprepared for the jobs that are open and desirable
The Problem
In most countries, too small a percentage of students are successful in math and science
Traditional approaches towards curriculum, pedagogy and assessment have failed many
The teaching of these subjects has screened students out, not welcomed them in
This is no longer acceptable
The Current System has Failed
The traditional system of education is inefficient
Pushing on it harder Stresses students and teachers, Doesn’t improve student learning or test results
Like forcing a key in the wrong lock; turning it harder breaks the key, but doesn’t open the lock
Progressive Science Initiative (PSI) & Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMI)
PSI-PMI: A new system of education
The results have been dramatic and show that it is practical to transform education rapidly
As a results these programs are spreading quickly
The PSI-PMI System of Education
Rigor and Stress Are Decoupled
Student learning and enjoyment rise
Teacher satisfaction and effectiveness improve
The PSI-PMI System of Education
Mathematics and science become demystified
All students see their basic human character
They are no longer the exclusive domain of those who succeed despite the old system of teaching and learning – the “elite”
PSI-PMI Expansion
PSI was first developed to teach high school science to students
PSI was then used to create new high school physics and chemistry teachers
PMI uses PSI Methods to teach K-12 math
PSI is now being used to develop K-8 science
PSI-PMI Expansion
• Developed in 1 NJ school: 1999 -
• Extended to 98 NJ schools: 2007 -
• Extended to Argentina: 2010 -
• Extended to Rhode Island and Colorado: 2011 -
• Extended to The Gambia, West Africa: 2012 -
• NEA funding entry to more states: 2013 -
New Jersey
In the last 4 years, in NJ, PSI-PMI:
In 98 Schools Trained 683 current math and science teachers Created 112 new physics teachers Created 29 new chemistry teachers
They taught about
• 83,000 students mathematics • 61,000 students science
Teacher Training: Other States
• Rhode Island• Piloted in one district in 2011-12 • High School adoption in that district in fall 2012-13
• Colorado• Adoption in 3 high schools and 1 elementary
school in 2012-13
San Luis, Argentina
• Created 25 new physics teachers
• Trained 75 science and math teachers
• PSI-PMI teachers are teaching thousands of students mathematics and science
• All courses being translated to Spanish
The Gambia, West Africa
World Bank funds a $492,000 pilot
2012/13
Peace Corps commits 4 volunteers
CTL trains 36 teachers from 13 schools
600+ students learning physics and math
The Gambia, West Africa
2013/2014
Peace Corps increases to 8 volunteers
Training expands to 60 teachers from 25 schools
Will be teaching about 1800 students
Teacher Training: Other States
• In late 2012, NEA provided a $500,000 Challenge Grant to expand beyond NJ with matches from states
• Matches from Morgridge Family Foundation and Xcel Energy are supporting a full-time presence on the ground in Colorado beginning in 2013
Teacher Training: Other States
Uncommitted NEA Funding: $300,000
Microsoft matches with additional $100,000
Balance of $400,000 available to support expansion to other districts or states outside NJ and CO
Three Threads of PSI-PMI
1. Demystifying math and science to make them accessible to all
2. Correcting the high school science sequence
3. Filling the shortage of physics and chemistry teachers
The PSI-PMI System of Education
Integrates: Pedagogy
Curriculum
Assessment
Professional Development
Converges: The Written Curriculum
The Taught Curriculum
The Assessed curriculum
Pedagogy
Social Constructivism• Round Tables• Group Problem Solving• Heterogeneous setting
Pedagogy
Direct Instruction• Interactive White Board (IWB) Notebook presentation• Student Response Formative Assessment• Teacher as part of social group
Formative Assessment
Interactive White Board files connect direct instruction and social constructivism through real-time student polling
Direct Instruction
Example: Direct Instruction - Adding Decimals
Direct Instruction
Example: Direct Instruction - Adding Decimals
Formative Assessment
Formative Assessment
The Key: The correct answer isn’t revealed
All students must defend their answers
Students like talking and debating
Students focus on short direct instruction, and the arguments at their table, so they can get the next questions right.
Demonstrations and labs become extensions of this model, with open-ended labs driving inquiry
Structure of Classroom Learning
Each topic has direct instruction and about 6 formative assessment questions
Topics (with demonstrations) comprise units
Units (with labs) comprise courses
The sequence of courses comprise education
Neuroscience, Vygotsky and Video Games
People like to struggle, and then win
If there’s no struggle, it’s boring
If there’s no win, it’s frustrating
Releases endorphins, resulting in pleasure and memory retention
Neuroscience, Vygotsky and Video Games
People are social
Work done in a group is more fun
The group moves all individuals forward faster than they would move alone
Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism – Keeping students in their Zone of Proximal Development
PSI-PMI Paradigm Shift
For what world are we preparing our students?
Not for Isolated work: factual recall;sitting quietly;transcribing; accepting
PSI-PMI Paradigm Shift
For what world are we preparing our students?
Rather, for Collaborative work:critical thinking; problem solving;talking;debatingquestioning
Summative Assessment
• Grades based only on what students know and can do – Tests, quizzes and labs
•
• Grades are not subjective• No points for homework, participation, etc.
• Retakes available for all assessments
• Grades then correlate to End of Course Tests (APs, EOC Algebra I, Common Core, etc.)
Textbooks are no longer used in class
• Group instruction is done with slides on an interactive white board
• Frequent student polling with student responders
Textbooks are no longer used at home
• Individuals work at home with the same slides used in class on phones, tablets, PCs, etc.
• Video support for slides via posted videos on YouTube
The Teacher’s Role Shifts
To teaching: communicating, engaging and motivating students
Away from “lesson planning”
No more individually designed assessments or lesson plans
Teacher Created Digital Courses
Creating these courses is complex and time consuming - beyond the capacity of a single teacher
Teams of teachers create digital courses
The artisan model of lone teachers handcrafting lessons and assessments is obsolete
Teacher Created Digital Courses
Collaboratively created courses replace individual lesson plans and assessments
Continuous improvement is driven by the shared use of, and refinement by, many teachers
Rather than 1000s of teachers working alone; 1000s of teachers work together to improve what they all will teach
Complexity moved away from Users
New technology pushes complexity to the system, and away from the user
The total complexity of using a computer to do a calculation is higher than using paper and pencil
But the stress and complexity is taken on by the hardware and software creators
The user’s work is easier AND better
A New System of Education
The burden shifts to teams of teachers who create courses that are shared, used and improved by all
The cost for PSI-PMI course development (about $500,000 per year) is borne by sponsors who believe in this mission
Then shared with students and teachers for free at www.njctl.org
Free and Open-Source
Major Sponsors
New Jersey Education Association National Education Association
Bayer Healthcare Verizon Microsoft Xcel Energy SMART eInstruction
Morgridge Family Foundation Overdeck Family Foundation National Education Association Foundation
Free Open-Source Digital Courses
English language materials 50,000 slides 1000 Word Documents
It would take about 16 days, at 30 seconds a slide, just to see all the slides
Spanish language versions being completed
Bipartisan Support
Democrats and Republicans
Business and unions
Teachers and Administrators
Students and Parents
Free Open-Source Digital Courses
These courses are posted for the free use of all at www.njctl.org
They are free AND open-source: they can be used, and edited, by anyone
Users drive continuous improvement – creating a global professional learning community
Teachers register to see assessments
www.njctl.org
PSI High School Science
• Algebra-Based Physics • AP Physics B (trigonometry based)• AP Physics C: Mechanics (calculus based)• AP Physics C: E&M (calculus based)• Chemistry• AP Chemistry• Biology• AP Biology
PMI Grade Level Math
• Pre-K (being developed) Grade 8 • Kindergarten Grade 8 / Algebra I• Grade 1 Algebra I• Grade 2 Geometry• Grade 3 Algebra II / Trig• Grade 4 Pre-Calculus• Grade 5 AP Calculus A/B• Grade 6 AP Calculus B/C• Grade 7 College Math• Grade 7 accelerated
Domain Level Math Courses
•Content can be seen horizontally or vertically:
• In the past, there have only been Grade level courses, which teach the part of each domain indicated for that year
• Using digital content, we now have Domain level courses, which teach each domain, in topic sequence, independent of Grade Level
•Domain level courses provide intervention for students who have weakness in a domain
PMI Domain Level Math Courses
• Expressions & Equations• Measurement and Data• Fractions• Functions• Geometry• Operations and Algebraic Thinking• Numbers in Base Ten• The Number System• Ratios and Proportions• Statistics and Probability
K-8 Science
• Now: Under development by 18 teacher-writers
• May: Course outlines available
• June: First unit of each course
• July: First quarter of instruction for each course
• August: First half of instruction for each course
Web Site Use – Last 12 Months
1.9 Million Pageviews from 158 countries110,000 Unique Visitors
Web Site Teacher Registrations
Rational Sequence of Content
A rational sequence of curriculum content is required
Math - Common Core
Science – Fixing the U.S. science sequence
Stop Teaching Science Backwards
The current U.S. science sequence made sense in 1892, when biology was botany & zoology and Algebra I was advanced mathematics
Most students didn’t study Algebra I or Physics until late in high school, if at all
Physics, the simplest of the sciences became viewed as the hardest, only for the “elite”
Now all students study Algebra I, but the science sequence is hard to change
Traditional HS Science Sequence
B iology P hysics
G eom .Algebra.II & Trig
A lgebra
Chem
P recalc
9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
Changing the Science Sequence
Now that Algebra I is taught in Grade 9, or earlier, physics should switch to Grade 9, or earlier, as well
Physics should be taken by all students while, or soon after, they take Algebra I
This prepares them for Chemistry, and then Biology…and for more advanced sciences
While providing motivation for learning math
PSI HS Science Sequence – Minimum
P hysics B iology
G eom .A lgebraII & Trig
A lgebra
Chem
9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
PSI HS Science Sequence – with APs
P hysics B iology
A lgebraA P
P hysicsA P
ChemA P B io
M A I M A II A P CalcG eom .
Chem
Algebra II Pre Calculus
9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
The new PSI-PMI paradigm demystifies science and mathematics
Now all students, and teachers, can learn any science…and any mathematics
Opening the door to address a major problem of equity and access
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
Physics is the foundation of science
Physics underlies chemistry
Physics and chemistry underlie biology, and all other sciences
Physics uses mathematics, thereby showing students the usefulness of mathematics
Mathematically rigorous algebra-based physics integrates science and mathematics, transforming both
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
Remember the career paths we saw earlier;
These all require physics
Science Medicine
Technology Veterinary Science
Engineering Agricultural Science
Mathematics Industrial Science, etc.
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
And remember the 21st century jobs that require analytical thinking.
Analytical thinking is best taught in physics
Business ArchitectureFinance LawUrban Planning Corporate PlanningDesign etc.
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
To have a fair chance at a great career all high school students should:
1. Study one year of mathematically rigorous physics
2. Have the option of taking AP Physics
Mathematically Rigorous Physics for All
The Problem
Many U.S. schools don’t offer physics at all and, if they do, not to all their students
Less then 35% of U.S. students study any physics, and it’s often not mathematically rigorous
Less than 3% of U.S. students study Advanced Placement Physics
Social Justice: Equity and Access
Schools with high poverty and underrepresented minorities are least likely to offer physics
For instance, less than half of New York City high schools offer physics
Fewer than 20% of New York City students study physics or chemistry in high school
A classic “bootstrap” problem
There are not enough physics teachers to teach all students physics, so courses aren’t offered
Until there are physics courses, there are no jobs for physics teachers
Until more students study physics, there is not a source for new physics teachers
A classic “bootstrap” problem
New physics courses must be started, and the teachers of them must be created, at the same time, not one before the other
For all students to take physics we need at least 3 times as many physics teachers, and we need them now
Before PSI, that was not possible – Now it is
Creating Science Teachers
PSI has shown that all students can learn physics
PSI has shown that all teachers can learn physics
PSI teaches physics to skilled teachers
And provides teachers the tools to teach physics
To get the best teachers to become the best physics teachers:
“Teaching is hard; science is easy”
PSI Creates Physics Teachers
Creating Physics Courses
These new physics teachers have started new courses in schools in which they did not exist
Many more students are taking Physics and AP Physics B
In 2012, these were 6 of the top 12 NJ schools for the percentage of students taking AP Physics B
Many of these are urban schools with high poverty and high minority populations
AP Physics B Participation Rates
Learning Forward – National Report
Learning Forward – National Report
“The New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL) has been doing groundbreaking professional development work in math and science instruction as well…using the innovative curriculum of 2006 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Robert Goodman…to create the Progressive Science Initiative….”
The Progressive Science Initiative and the Progressive Mathematics Initiative: an
effective new approach to student learning and teacher training – SMART
Technologies and New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning
The Progressive Science Initiative and the Progressive Mathematics Initiative: an
effective new approach to student learning and teacher training – SMART
Technologies and New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning
2011 IMS Learning Impact Award
2011 IMS Learning Impact Award
PSI-PMI Paradigm Shift
Arthur Levine, president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, describes the PSI-PMI approach in these words:
“There is a shift from teaching to learning, from working alone to collaboration, from passive to active learning, from analog to digital, from teaching a class to sharing authority for educating all the kids at a school, or beyond.”
PSI-PMI Paradigm Shift
Social Justice requires that we use these new tools to provide fair access for all students to math and science in general, and to physics in particular
Global competitiveness requires the same, since countries can only prosper if they realize the capacity of all their citizens
Empowering Teachers …Leading Change
www.njctl.org [email protected]
New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning