SimScientist

Dear Middle Grades Physical Science Teacher,

WestEd, a not-for-profit educational research agency, has funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct a research project, SimScientists Assessments: Physical Science Links (SAPSL), during the 2016-17 school year that aims to use technology to give students ways to explore and express their science knowledge through computer simulations of science systems. This is a great research opportunity to use innovative formative assessments that are designed to support the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with your students.

Participating teachers will receive a live online webinar orientation and training (4 hours), stipends up to $1,500 for their involvement in the study as well as access to simulation-based computer formative assessments.

In order to participate, middle grades science teachers must cover Matter, Motion, Energy, and Waves units during the 2016-17 school year. All four units must be covered within the same grade during the school year, though teachers can still participate if they do a substantial review of Matter at the beginning of the year if a matter unit is taught in the previous grade, in addition to teaching Motion, Energy, and Waves. We are also recruiting a small group of teachers to try out the two end-of-year tests before the end of the current school year. Participating teachers would still be eligible to participate in the 2016-2017 study.

Please see the “SimScientists Physical Science Strand” for more information on these units: @https://wested.box.com/s/wlf632d31nof0y9ygdrx5q8jtjphwspv

For answers to frequently asked questions about participating in a SimScientists study, please see our FAQs at: @https://wested.box.com/s/5i5sm8qxanc6w2gsxyrdjkngo5a3copl

For technical requirements, please click here: @https://wested.box.com/s/d62kkw5fs8pjv3y87g4n4lmevxe1u709

*Note: SimScientists modules are **NOT** supported on iPads, iPhones, or other tablets.

If you are interested in participating in either or both research opportunities, please complete an online intake survey at @https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PSLValidationIntakeSurvey

Please forward this email to any middle grades science teachers who you think might be interested in this opportunity.

To learn more about this project, please see the FAQs or email Melissa Essinger at messing@wested.org. For the best chance of participating, please complete the survey by ** April 30th **

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely, Melissa Essinger

 Implementation Coordinator and Research Assistant - SimScientists

__messing@wested.org__