Learning Progressions
in Science Conference

June 24-26, 2009
Iowa City, IA

What are learning progressions?

Learning progressions are descriptions of increasingly sophisticated ways of thinking about or understanding a topic (National Research Council, 2007). They represent a promising framework for bridging the chasm between cognitive science research on how people learn in a given domain and the methods for teaching and assessing science.

Why a conference on learning progressions in science?

Learning progressions are rapidly gaining popularity in the science education community. As learning progressions and associated assessments are developed and used to inform work in science education, a number of challenges have arisen. The LeaPS conference will provide a structured forum to facilitate discussions about these challenges and to develop syntheses of ideas about possible solutions.

Who should attend the LeaPS conference?

The LeaPS conference has been designed as a forum to synthesize and extend existing ideas about work on learning progressions. In order to facilitate meaningful discussions, attendance will be limited to approximately 80 participants, the majority of whom will be actively involved in work on learning progressions or closely related areas of study.

In addition to providing a forum for leaders in the field to engage in critical discussions about their work, the LeaPS conference will offer an opportunity for those newer to this endeavor to explore challenges they are likely to face in work on learning progressions. The potential of learning progressions will be realized only by drawing upon expertise from multiple areas. Thus, scientists, measurement specialists, and practitioners (such as K-12 teachers and test developers) are strongly encouraged to attend the conference.

The LeaPS conference is supported by the National Science Foundation under grant # DRL 0824432. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the conference organizers and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Copyright © 2009