This page last modified January 8, 2001 (tca)
Developmental Approaches in Science, Health and Technology is recommended as a Promising science program.
Program Description. Developmental Approaches in Science, Health and Technology (DASH) is a comprehensive K-6 program. It reaches the spectrum of learners found in typical classrooms through over 650 interconnected, developmentally appropriate, hands-on activities that are aligned with national standards. The goal of DASH is to engage students in the excitement of questioning and making sense of things unknown, inventing and building to solve problems, and caring for themselves through their experiences in science, health, and technology learning.
DASH activities at each grade level are organized into ten content clusters: learning; time, weather, and sky; animals; plants; food and nutrition; health and safety; wayfinding and transportation; energy and communication; conservation, recycling, and decomposition; and matter, space, and construction. Program content is sequential and spiraled, to promote reinforcing, multi-year development of concepts and skills. Students work inside and out of the classroom as a research community, modeling the real world roles of scientists and technologists, with the teacher as the research team leader. Assessment is integrated into instruction. Each activity has a portfolio-building product, and each grade level has a concept and skill inventory for student self-assessment.
Professional Development Resources and Program Costs. DASH is used by over 11,000 teachers in 26 states. There is a support network of 14 universities and a cadre of 175 certified instructors. The local educational agency designates a local coordinator. Professional development is preceded by outreach with school personnel and a commitment-building process that includes site visits, presentations on standards- and research-based curriculum and methodology, data gathering, and detailed suggestions for implementing DASH at the site.
Teachers participate in a 10-day, 60-hour, on-site institute prior to implementation of the program. Each participant receives a teacher set of materials, including a Teacher Guide for the grade level, blackline masters for students, and an Instructional Guide. Administrators are assisted through special workshops, consultations, and a Handbook for Administrators. DASH provides supporting professional development and networking opportunities, follow-up activities, and an implementation review process. The implementation cost estimate is $1075-$1270 per classroom and includes teacher participation in the professional development institute, all instructional materials, handouts, a teacher set of materials, a newsletter subscription, and start-up supplies. No special equipment is required.
Program Quality. Reviewers found the program's goals to be clear, easy to follow, developmentally appropriate, and based on research in science and mathematics. Program content is challenging and aligned with learning goals. The program provides excellent opportunities for students to grow in science inquiry and develops in-depth content knowledge. The cluster format and spiral approach to learning are significant because they give students important scientific concepts for a knowledge foundation and a formidable beginning for future learning. Students are guided through exploration, application, generalizations, and explanations as they work through year-long and multi-year activities. Reviewers noted that DASH is focused on instructional design that encourages all students and promotes an environment that is appropriate, engaging, and motivating. The student's role as scientist is defined in each lesson, and the connection made to every day occupations provides students with a rationale for learning the material. DASH's attention to pedagogy, sequencing activities, building on prior experiences, valuing students' prior work and products, and clear guides to facilitating discussions and building questioning skills are outstanding. The program's assessment system is based on the premise that there are a variety of learning styles and different ways to assess those styles. The assessment system promotes strong teacher-student dialogue and trust for the instructional program.
Usefulness to Others. Reviewers concluded that the program's low cost and clear instructional plan, combined with support materials for each cluster, make it accessible to most K-6 classes. Training is located throughout the country and can be conducted in local school districts. No special facilities or materials are required, and lessons are clear and easy to implement.
Educational Significance. Reviewers noted that the program's pedagogy and assessment are aligned with national standards. DASH manuals provide a clear correlation of the national standards with specific program activities. The program addresses important individual and societal needs through its broad base of gender- and ethnic-free activities; long-term, multi-year approach to building depth and breadth of learning; focus on both in- and out-of-school issues; attention to societal issues such as health protection and environmental needs; and accommodation for diverse learning styles.
Program Effectiveness and Success. Reviewers found that DASH provided evidence from 14 case studies conducted in five states that students in grades K-5 demonstrated an understanding of fundamental science concepts and the use of essential skills, such as inquiry and data gathering techniques as well as integration and application of science concepts. The program provided evidence of improved student achievement in the form of comparisons of (a) standardized test score data for DASH students with national, state and district data and (b) pre- and post-test DASH test scores in one district. The multiple-case study results also demonstrated a positive change in teachers' attitudes about science and approaches to teaching science and increased teacher knowledge and use of standards-based instructional strategies in elementary science.
A well-designed and conceptualized multiple-case study evaluation was implemented, in which multiple cases were considered multiple experiments and resulting generalizations were based on analytic generalization rather than statistical generalization. The design required common training of senior researchers; multiple, independent observers at each site; and an independent external evaluator to conduct pattern matching and cross-case analyses. Data collection included multi-day observations; video and audio taping; interviews with teachers, administrators, and students; student-created products and artifacts; engaged learning time; test data; and teacher lesson plans. Analysis followed cross-experiment rather than within-experiment logic and design. If two or more cases supported the same assertion, replication was claimed. Triangulation of multiple data sources at each site and cross-case analyses were used to derive findings consistent across the 14 diverse sites.
For Further Information Contact:
Francis M. Pottenger III
Curriculum Research & Development Group, UHS#2-202
University of Hawaii,
1776 University Avenue,
Honolulu, HI 96822
Telephone: (808) 956-6918
Fax: (808) 956-4933
E-mail: frankp@hawaii.edu
Web site: http://www.hawaii.edu/crdg
This page last modified January 8, 2001 (tca)