Community Oriented Science Education

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Community Oriented Science Education (COSE) is a three year exploratory project to develop learning activities, thematically linked by the standards-based concept of energy transfer, covering about 16 class periods of middle school science. The activities highlight the fundamental processes and the integrative nature of 21st Century scientific investigations and are coupled to design-oriented, project-based experiences that enable students to apply emerging conceptual understandings while conducting community-oriented investigations in culturally relevant contexts. The materials provide experience with the concept of energy as it relates to students' lives, say in operating electronic devices, while providing understanding of and experience with rigorous scientific investigation. Students participate in teacher-guided research projects before executing a student designed and directed research project related to energy and its uses. Ample opportunity is provided for small group interactions to promote social construction of knowledge. The project evaluates the prototype materials designed to promote the development of robust STEM identities of middle school urban youth in field tests at inner city schools with student populations representative of the ethnic and socio-economic diversity that typifies many urban American schools. Materials are assessed on their capacity to affect student attitudes, interests and achievements in STEM courses, to impact student abilities to think critically and quantitatively, and to contribute to a framework on which to base more materials and intervention strategies. In the field tests, information from students is gathered through the use of SMART phones and other of digital formats. Learning is assessed through embedded assessments and performance tasks.