About

About CESE

Crafting Engaging Science Environments

Revolutionizes the way students learn science in high school physics and chemistry classrooms.

Our researchers at MSU and the CREATE4STEM Institute develop and use project-based, NGSS aligned science curricula to engage learners in physics and chemistry classrooms around the world.

Researchers in U.S. and Finland use a holistic approach to understand how students actually engage and learn science.

Our investigations into project-based learning, engagement, growth-mindset, and social and emotional learning bring amazing opportunities to students in traditionally underserved communities. Students develop scientific reasoning through experiential learning practices aligned with the NGSS.

While many approaches to science learning are still based on what was being taught decades ago, our phenomena driven activities teach complex scientific concepts as well as how to model them using computers and other technology.

Most importantly, our model is scalable and sustainable. By providing our teachers with in-depth professional learning and highly developed curricula, we equip them to share these new practices with future classes year after year.

Why It Matters

FAQs

For Teachers:

1. Is the CESE curriculum free?

The CESE curriculum continues to be worked on; however, there is a plan to make this available at no cost to everyone online in the future.

2. Do I have to stick strictly to the lessons?

No, CESE was designed more as a roadmap that you can adapt for your students to fit them best. The goal of CESE is to engage students in rigorous learning so if the lessons are not relatable or at the right level of rigor for your students, feel free to make modifications.

3. Do the unit assessments have rubrics?

Yes! They have a scoring system to help you properly grade your students’ unit assessments.

4. My students have a state science exam that I must prepare them for, will the CESE curriculum take time away from this preparation?

Not at all! The CESE curriculum was tested with the Michigan State Science Exam as the outcome of interest. Most states have adopted or adapted the NGSS, so the CESE curriculum should be aligned with what your students will be tested on!

For Districts:

1. Are the CESE curriculum materials expensive to buy and store?

No, not any more so than traditional science curriculum materials. But schools should have fume hoods and a chemical storage unit. If these are unavailable, the curriculum is able to be adapted for adjustments; however, we highly recommend investing in fume hoods and chemical storage units regardless of whether you use the CESE curriculum or not.

2. Will our teachers have a hard time switching to the CESE curriculum?

Changing teaching to project based can be difficult which is why we recommend teachers to attend the professional learning. However, our lessons are written for teachers in easy-to-understand language. We also have some professional learning videos prerecorded if teachers are unable to attend the professional learning. Although, project-based learning is a shift in teaching method, beginning to use the CESE curriculum will bring engagement and experiences to students even as the teacher is adapting their own teaching method.

3. Our district would possibly like to be involved in the new research studies on the CESE curriculum, how can we find out more information and get involved?

Under our team page is a list of researchers. If you are interested in joining a research study as a district, reach out to one of the PIs - Barbara Schneider or Joe Krajcik.

4. Are there other curriculum outside of high school that we could adopt along side CESE for a more continuous flow from elementary school to middle school to high school?

Yes! CREATE4STEM has a series of project-based learning curriculum in science from elementary school through high school. You can find more information about the other curriculum here.

For Researchers

1. How was the CESE curriculum evaluated?

The first three CESE units was evaluated with a three-stage process: development, field-test, and efficacy trial. The efficacy trial was a cluster randomized control trial in Michigan and California that included a pretest measure as a covariate for the students. The effects show that the treatment students on average had scores of .22 standard deviations above those of the control groups.

2. If only the first three units were tested, what about the additional units?

Although we have currently only tested the first three units, we are in the process of looking to secure funding to test the remaining units; however, these units follow the same structure as the first three and thus, we believe that they will have similar effects and that the combination of all units may lead to possibly stronger effects.

3. Has the research on CESE been reviewed by What Works Clearinghouse?

No. CESE has not yet been reviewed by What Works Clearinghouse; however, in both the design of the research study and the reporting of the findings, the What Works Clearinghouse Standards were considered. In our article, you can find information about our attrition, randomization, balance between the treatment and control group, and covariates used for statistical adjustment.

4. Why did you decide to run an intervention on a high school science curriculum?

We believe that all curriculum given to students should be high quality and have evidence of its effectiveness. Since the implementation of NGSS, not many high school on level science courses have been rigorously evaluated and shown effected. We wanted to ensure that teachers, administrators, districts, and policymakers had an effect curriculum to choose for high school chemistry and physics.

5. What publications have emerged from the CESE research?

For a full list of publications, including the book Learning Science, see our publications page.

6. What other science education research has been conducted?

CREATE4STEM has other science curriculum in elementary school, in middle school, and in high school biology that have been tested, similarly to CESE. These projects can be found at the CREATE4STEM website.