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NCOSP
The North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership (NCOSP) is a targeted Math and Science Partnership involving Western Washington University, Everett Community College, Northwest Indian College, Skagit Valley College, Whatcom Community College, and 26 predominately rural school districts seeking to improve science teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education through a focus on science education in grades 3-10. University scientists, supported by curriculum and assessment reform specialists and master teachers, are creating, implementing, and exploring innovative content and education courses for future teachers and K-12 professional development models (both on-campus and building-based) in the context of reform curricula. The Partnership Districts are planning science programs, identifying and selecting research-based curriculum materials aligned with state and national standards, creating a materials support system to provide classroom ready materials, implementing classroom-based assessments, preparing teachers to guide students in inquiry-centered science instruction, and increasing administrative and community understanding of the core curriculum.

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Project Contributions

Perspectives on Deepening Teachers' Science Content Knowledge: The Case of the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership
"The North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership (NCOSP) project served teacher leaders of grades 3-10 and disciplinary science faculty. NCOSP created and conducted a sequential series of three 80-hour residential…
Emerging Conceptions of Effective K-12-Higher Education Partnerships
"As a Math and Science Partnership, NCOSP is committed to designing a partnership that contributes to systemic reform of science education in the region. Because of the potential importance of...
Implementing and Evaluating Reformed Science Curricula for Higher Education and Professional Development Settings
"This paper describes the implementation of new curricula in biology and geology with preservice teachers at several higher educational institutions and with inservice teachers...
Impact of a Multi-Institutional Curriculum Development Project on Disciplinary Science Faculty
Posted by: Dan Hanley . "This study addresses the impact of a multi-institutional collaboration among disciplinary science faculty to develop undergraduate content courses for future elementary teachers in biology and geology....
WWU Leads Statewide Effort to Link Science, Literacy
BELLINGHAM - A group of education leaders from across Washington State, led by the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership at Western Washington University, has developed and released a web-based...