Curriculum Planning for Integration and Convergence (CPIC)

Life Lab Science Program Inc, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

Curriculum Planning for Integration and Convergence (CPIC) is a two-year project to create and pilot a new web-access database and curriculum planning tool run by Life Lab Science Program and the University of California at Santa Cruz professional development project. The website will offer resource materials in curriculum planning that integrate content with English Language Development (ELD: adaptation of the ELA standards for language learners) and support state and national standards in mathematics, science, english language arts, ELD and history/social sciences. The website will encourage elementary teaching that integrates content areas and secondary teaching using convergence or integration for more coherent student learning. The website will reinforce institute and workshop training to link teacher goals and student assessment. During the planning process, teachers will be pointed to linked sites that deepen their content knowledge. The research contribution will be to examine the ability of an innovative website offering curriculum-planning tools to improve teaching to all students. Research will evaluate the effectiveness of the resources both with and without face-to-face development contact. The website will be designed to ensure that mathematics and science content is accessible to the widest possible student population. With these supports teachers will be able to serve differentiated classrooms, becoming especially effective in their ability to teach rigorous content to language learners. Given the growth of English Learner (EL) populations, this pilot has the potential to serve a need that is increasing dramatically in national significance and scale.