Instructional leadership in the era of the NGSS: Principals’ understandings of science practices.

Abstract: School principals play a key role as instructional leaders in reform efforts, yet little is known about their knowledge of science. A key focus in recent reform efforts is the inclusion of science practices, which are potentially a significant challenge for schools. Consequently, we investigated K–8 principals’ views of good science instruction and their abilities to analyze classroom videos in relation to the science practices. Our research suggests that K–8 principals have limited understandings. Principals often described good science instruction as including the investigating practices, but rarely included the sensemaking or critiquing science practices. They also frequently discussed good science instruction as being hands‐on, but had different meanings of what counted as hands‐on. When evaluating videos, all of the principals focused on general pedagogy with few principals focused on the science practices and limited understandings of the quality of the science practices. If we want to support systemic change, we need to develop the capacity of principals to effectively supervise science that reflects recent reform efforts. However, principals need a vision that aligns with the science practices, but do not require (or have the time to obtain) the same level of expertise as their science teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]