FCR-STEM
Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Florida State University
Content Enhancement Routines Initiative
The Content Enhancement Routines Initiative provides professional development, support
and follow-up for secondary math and science teachers and is sponsored by The Florida
Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FCR-STEM),
jointly administered by the FSU College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education and
Learning Systems Institute in the Office of the Provost.
This initiative’s primary goal is to improve content area instruction in math and science and
support the acquisition of literacy for students in Florida. Content Enhancement Routines
were developed by the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas
(http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/content.shtml). Content Enhancement Routines address the
challenge of teaching students with different levels and types of background knowledge.
Specific devices and procedures access students’ prior knowledge, build a level of shared
understanding, and generate effective cognitive processes. Using Content Enhancement
Routines provides diverse groups of students with a shared foundation for understanding and
applying new information in a particular field of study. This approach provides the tools to
analyze the kinds of information students need to learn in all disciplines, helps identify the
obstacles which some students experience as they learn, and provides effective methods for
organizing and presenting information for a wide range of students.
Three routines will be included in 2007-08 Content Enhancement Routines Initiative:
The
Framing Routine
is
used to transform abstract ideas and key topics into a concrete
representation that helps students think and talk about the key topic and essential related
information. Research results have consistently demonstrated that the routine can effectively
facilitate subject matter learning as well as literacy and thinking skills.
The
Concept Mastery Routine
is used to define, summarize, and explain a major concept and
where it fits within a larger body of knowledge. Research shows that secondary teachers’ use
of the routine benefits the student in several ways. First, students scored significantly better
on tests designed to assess concept acquisition. Second, students scored significantly better
on regularly scheduled, teacher-made or commercial unit tests during the enhancement
condition than during baseline. Third, the students took better notes during the enhancement
condition than before using the routine.
The
Unit Organizer Routine
is used to plan units; introduce and maintain the big ideas in
units; and show how units, critical information, and concepts are related. Research results
showed that when teachers used the
Unit Organizer Routine,
understanding and retention of
information by low-achieving students, students with learning disabilities, and average-
achieving students improved substantially over baseline, as reflected in unit test scores and in
scores on unit content maps and explanations of these maps. Students of teachers who used
the
Unit Organizer Routine
regularly and consistently scored an average of 15 percentage
points higher on unit tests than students of teachers who used it only irregularly.
Professional development for the first routine will be delivered in fall 2007 in a three-hour
face-to-face workshop at the school, followed by coaching and support. Two more routines
will be offered as online courses later in the 2007-2008 school year. The professional
development and materials will be provided at no cost.
Participating schools agree to uphold the integrity of the Content Enhancement Routines
Initiative by meeting the following requirements:
• Committing to the participation of all teachers within the science and/or math
department beginning fall 2007 and continuing throughout the academic year.
• Committing to participating in training and online courses and subsequent
implementation by the teachers and instructional leaders in the school, such as the
principal, department chairs, and instructional coaches.
• Committing to collecting and submitting student impact data and satisfaction surveys,
and teacher implementation and satisfaction surveys.
• Continuing planning for professional development for additional Content Enhancement
Routines, including dedicated time for staff planning, ongoing professional
development and coaching, and frequent student progress monitoring. (Optional)