What is NextGen TIME?
NextGen TIME is a suite of tools and processes for curriculum-based professional learning that supports educators to evaluate, select, and implement instructional materials designed for next generation science. NextGen TIME empowers educators to aim higher and accomplish more during the instructional materials selection process. It’s not just about choosing better materials, but about improving next generation science instruction for all students.
Specifically, NextGen TIME will:
- allow districts and educators to analyze and select materials based on key criteria and scoring guidance, and
- provide educators with a transformative professional learning experience highly focused on the NGSS and the implementation of high quality materials designed for next generation science.
The instructional materials targeted by NextGen TIME are either larger units of study or year-long programs. NextGen TIME consists of five phases: Prepare, Prescreen, Paperscreen, Pilot, and Plan.
...this process transforms teachers' perceptions of the three dimensions and how important phenomenon-based teaching/learning is for students. When you have to go through and analyze materials, it makes you aware of what is there and what isn't there in order for student learning to occur. The rubrics helped point out how students needed to be provided with experiences that directly engaged them with the phenomenon and the dimensions.
"Transforming" is a perfect word. The tool allows for teachers to reflect on past thinking of 3 dimensional, phenomena/problem-focused teaching and determine how an updated view of 3D teaching/learning may require shifts in their classroom.