National Association for Research in Science Teaching
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| National Association for Research in Science Teaching | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Association for Research in Science Teaching |
| Abbreviation | NARST |
| Formation | 1928 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Region served | International |
| Membership | Educators, researchers, policymakers |
| Leader title | President |
National Association for Research in Science Teaching is an international professional association that connects researchers, teachers, and policymakers focused on science instruction and learning. Founded in the United States, the organization fosters collaboration among scholars associated with University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Chicago, while engaging educators from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, Monash University, and University of Melbourne. Its network includes members linked to institutions such as Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Washington.
History
The association emerged in the late 1920s amid dialogues at forums like Carnegie Institution for Science, Smithsonian Institution, and conferences hosted by American Association for the Advancement of Science, reflecting parallel developments at Teachers College, Columbia University and Chicago Teachers College. Early leadership included scholars affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, and Princeton University, and the organization later intersected with curriculum reforms influenced by reports such as those from National Academy of Sciences and committees at National Science Foundation. Throughout the 20th century, the association collaborated with bodies like American Educational Research Association, Society for Research in Child Development, International Council of Associations for Science Education, and policymakers connected to U.S. Department of Education, influencing initiatives alongside Project 2061, AAAS Vision and Change, and international programs at UNESCO and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Mission and Objectives
The association’s mission emphasizes advancing empirical studies relevant to classroom practice, bridging scholars from Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Brown University, and Rutgers University with practitioners from school systems in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto District School Board, and Greater London Authority. Objectives include promoting rigorous inquiry comparable to standards upheld by Royal Society, American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, and National Research Council; supporting equity agendas aligned with organizations such as King's College London and University of Cape Town; and informing policy dialogues involving actors like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Ford Foundation.
Governance and Membership
Governance follows a council model with elected officers drawn from universities including University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Edinburgh, University of Helsinki, and Lomonosov Moscow State University. Committees coordinate with specialty groups linked to European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Max Planck Society, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, and Australian Academy of Science. Membership categories serve researchers, teacher educators, graduate students, and international partners from networks such as International Baccalaureate, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Science Teachers Association, Association for Science Teacher Education, and British Science Association.
Publications and Journals
The association publishes peer-reviewed outlets that attract submissions from scholars at University of California, Los Angeles, Purdue University, Penn State University, University of Georgia, and Ohio State University. Journals and proceedings draw comparative studies referencing works from Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Educational Researcher, and Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Editorial boards frequently include contributors affiliated with University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Minnesota, Cornell University, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University. Special issues have featured cross-disciplinary collaborations involving Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Field Museum of Natural History, Natural History Museum, London, and projects funded by European Commission and foundations like Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Conferences and Professional Development
Annual conferences convene participants from academic centers such as University of Sydney, University of Auckland, Seoul National University, National University of Singapore, and University of Hong Kong, alongside representatives from ministries and agencies like Department for Education (UK), Australian Department of Education, Ministry of Education, Singapore, and Education Bureau (Hong Kong). Programs include symposia featuring speakers associated with Royal Society of Chemistry, American Association of Physics Teachers, National Science Teaching Association, Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, and Center forScience in the Public Interest. Professional development offerings align with credentialing efforts of Teach For America, Teach First, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and university-based continuing education units at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Research Initiatives and Impact
Research initiatives span collaborations with projects at SRI International, RAND Corporation, WestEd, Institute of Education (London), and Economist Intelligence Unit, producing impact assessments that inform curricula adopted by districts like Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools, and New York City Department of Education. Studies address assessment frameworks consonant with Programme for International Student Assessment, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, and standards influenced by reports from National Research Council and Next Generation Science Standards. The association’s work has been cited in policy documents from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Bank, and national academies such as Royal Society and Academia Sinica, shaping teacher training models examined by OECD and exemplars developed at Exploratorium, Museum of Science (Boston), and Science Museum (London).