[Coral-List] please review the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by June 1

[Melissa K. Demetrikopoulos, Ph.D.]

Dear fellow scientists and science educators, 
In case you are not aware, the new science standards are open for publiccomment. 
This will impact K-12 science education (and thus undergraduate preparation)for years to come so let's all do our best to set aside some time to takeadvantage of this opportunity. The comment period ends June 1. Please make timefor this very important professional responsibility as either a workingscientist or science educator. 
I am forwarding information below from ASTE and NSTA about the new sciencestandards and this process. The webinars that are listed below havebeen archived if you are interested. 
Take care,
Melissa

Melissa K. Demetrikopoulos, Ph.D.Director of Scientific Communications andChair, Division of Program Development and AssessmentInstitute for Biomedical PhilosophyPO Box 1528Dunedin, FL 34697TEL: 305-240-1522 mdemetr at BioPhi.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Hollon, Robert E. [mailto:HOLLONRE at uwec.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 11:10 PM
To: mdemetr at biophi.org
Subject: ASTE needs a strong voice in reviewing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

body,p,div,td { font-family: Arial; }Dear ASTE Members,

I’m sure that many of you have been following the news regarding the recent release of the draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) here in the United States which remains available online for public comment until June 1, 2012 at http://www.nextgenscience.org/. On behalf of the entire ASTE leadership team, I write to strongly urge our membership to engage in this opportunity to provide substantive feedback as part of the review and development process.
Our ASTE mission is to promote excellence in science teacher education world-wide through scholarship and innovation and we strive to be the leading voice in the areas of research and policy development related to the enhancement of science teacher education. The Next Generation Science Standards are certain to have a significant influence on how science is taught in our schools in the near future. Thus, it’s imperative that our ASTE members draw upon their professional and scholarly experiences to contribute to the refinement of the NGSS to ensure that they reflect the empirical evidence that supports meaningful science teaching and learning.Only through our active participation on the review process can we ensure that ASTE’s voice is heard.
To review the draft, go tohttp://www.nextgenscience.org and click on the link, “Click here to review the NGSS draft and provide feedback,” and then click on the “Go to the NGSS Survey.” Along with our science education colleagues in NARST and NSTA, we strongly encourage you to identify yourself as a member of ASTE when submitting your comments to acknowledge your professional affiliation.
For more information about the development of the Next Generation Science Standards, please visithttp://www.achieve.org/files/NextGenerationScienceStandardsFactSheet.pdf
Sincerely,
John W. Tillotson, President
ASTE
First Public Draft of Next Generation Science Standards Released—Comment Period Open Until June 1The first draft of the  Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) was released on May 11 and will be online for public comment until June 1.
Register now for two FREE web seminars on Tuesday, May 15, and Wednesday, May 16, to learn more about the NGSS:
 Introduction to the NGSS Public Draft: Tuesday, May 15, from 6:30 to 8 p..m. ET, Stephen Pruitt, Vice President for Content, Research and Development at Achieve, will provide an introduction to the NGSS draft and answer your questions. How to Lead a Study Group on NGSS Draft: On Wednesday, May 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. ET, three top NSTA officials—Harold Pratt, Gerry Wheeler, and Ted Willard—will lead an in-depth webinar to help you develop and/or lead a group to review the draft NGSS.Let NSTA be your guide to the Next Generation Science Standards—
Access the vast variety of NSTA resources and materials on NGSS (including background information) and the FREE NSTA Reader’s Guide to A Framework for K–12 Science Education, an important companion to the Framework that will help science educators prepare for the standards. Visit NSTA’s Next Generation Science Standards Forums in the NSTA Learning Center or sign up today for the comprehensive NSELA/NSTA  Summer Leadership Institute, which will focus on NGSS, scheduled for June 24–28, 2012, in Austin, Texas.