Section 127.796 - Scientific Research and Design (One Credit), Adopted 2024(a) Implementation. The provisions of this section shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.(b) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 11 and 12. Prerequisite: Biology, and one credit of the following: Applied Physics and Engineering, Chemistry, Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC), or Physics. Students must meet the 40% laboratory and fieldwork requirement. This course satisfies a high school science graduation requirement. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course. Students may take this course with different course content for a maximum of three credits.(c) Introduction. (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.(2) The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Career Cluster focuses on planning, managing, and providing scientific research and professional and technical services, including laboratory and testing services, and research and development services.(3) Scientific Research and Design allows districts and schools flexibility to develop local curriculum to supplement a program of study or coherent sequence. The course has the components of any rigorous scientific or career and technical education (CTE) program of study, including problem identification, investigation design, data collection, data analysis, formulation, and presentation of conclusions. These components are integrated with the CTE emphasis of helping students gain entry-level employment in high-skill, high-wage jobs and/or continue their education.(4) Nature of science. Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the "use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process." This vast body of changing and increasing knowledge is described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models. Students should know that some questions are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are not scientifically testable.(5) Scientific hypotheses and theories. Students are expected to know that: (A) hypotheses are tentative and testable statements that must be capable of being supported or not supported by observational evidence. Hypotheses of durable explanatory power that have been tested over a wide variety of conditions are incorporated into theories; and(B) scientific theories are based on natural and physical phenomena and are capable of being tested by multiple independent researchers. Unlike hypotheses, scientific theories are well established and highly reliable explanations, but they may be subject to change as new areas of science and new technologies are developed.(6) Scientific inquiry. Scientific inquiry is the planned and deliberate investigation of the natural world using scientific and engineering practices. Scientific methods of investigation are descriptive, comparative, or experimental. The method chosen should be appropriate to the question being asked. Student learning for different types of investigations include descriptive investigations, which involve collecting data and recording observations without making comparisons; comparative investigations, which involve collecting data with variables that are manipulated to compare results; and experimental investigations, which involve processes similar to comparative investigations but in which a control is identified. (A) Scientific practices. Students should be able to ask questions, plan and conduct investigations to answer questions, and explain phenomena using appropriate tools and models.(B) Engineering practices. Students should be able to identify problems and design solutions using appropriate tools and models. (7) Science and social ethics. Scientific decision making is a way of answering questions about the natural world involving its own set of ethical standards about how the process of science should be carried out. Students should be able to distinguish between scientific decision-making methods (scientific methods) and ethical and social decisions that involve science (the application of scientific information).(8) Science consists of recurring themes and making connections between overarching concepts. Recurring themes include systems, models, and patterns. All systems have basic properties that can be described in space, time, energy, and matter. Change and constancy occur in systems as patterns and can be observed, measured, and modeled. These patterns help to make predictions that can be scientifically tested, while models allow for boundary specification and provide tools for understanding the ideas presented. Students should analyze a system in terms of its components and how these components relate to each other, to the whole, and to the external environment.(9) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations, other leadership or extracurricular organizations, or practical, hands-on activities or experiences through which a learner interacts with industry professionals in a workplace, which may be an in-person, virtual, or simulated setting. Learners prepare for employment or advancement along a career pathway by completing purposeful tasks that develop academic, technical, and employability skills.(10) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.(d) Knowledge and skills. (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to: (A) describe and demonstrate how to dress appropriately, speak politely, and conduct oneself in a manner appropriate for the profession;(B) describe and demonstrate how to cooperate, contribute, and collaborate as a member of a group in an effort to achieve a positive collective outcome;(C) present written and oral communication in a clear, concise, and effective manner;(D) demonstrate time-management skills in prioritizing tasks, following schedules, and performing goal-relevant activities in a way that produces efficient results; and(E) demonstrate punctuality, dependability, reliability, and responsibility in performing assigned tasks as directed.(2) Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to: (A) ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;(B) apply scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive, comparative, and experimental investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems;(C) use appropriate safety equipment and practices during laboratory, classroom, and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standards;(D) use appropriate tools such as measurement and data collection tools, software, sensors, probes, microscopes, cameras, and glassware;(E) collect quantitative data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative data as evidence;(F) organize quantitative and qualitative data using notebooks, journals, graphs, charts, tables, spreadsheets, and drawings and models;(G) develop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems; and(H) distinguish between scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws.(3) Scientific and engineering practices. The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs. The student is expected to: (A) identify advantages and limitations of models such as their size, scale, properties, and materials;(B) analyze data by identifying significant statistical features, patterns, sources of error, and limitations;(C) use mathematical calculations to assess quantitative relationships in data; and(D) evaluate experimental and engineering designs. (4) Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to: (A) develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories;(B) communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; and(C) engage respectfully in scientific argumentation using applied scientific explanations and empirical evidence. (5) Scientific and engineering practices. The student knows the contributions of scientists and recognizes the importance of scientific research and innovation on society. The student is expected to: (A) analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations and solutions by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing so as to encourage critical thinking by the student;(B) relate the impact of past and current research on scientific thought and society, including research methodology, cost-benefit analysis, and contributions of diverse scientists as related to the content; and(C) research and explore resources such as museums, libraries, professional organizations, private companies, online platforms, and mentors to investigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers.(6) The student develops a proposal that centers around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) establish a rationale and preliminary set of ideas for a research question or questions using organizational tools, collaboration, or research;(B) perform a literature review and evaluate several examples related to the project;(C) refine a research question by interacting with professionals in the field of study and document the conversations;(D) distinguish between descriptive, comparative, or experimental research design methodologies;(E) develop a research question or questions that are testable and measurable;(F) justify in writing the significance and feasibility of the project;(G) generate a materials list and propose a cost analysis; and(H) use the citation style appropriate to the field of study throughout the documentation.(7) The student formulates hypotheses to guide experimentation and data collection independently or in a team that centers around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) perform background research on the selected investigative problem; (B) examine hypotheses generated to guide a research process by evaluating the merits and feasibility of the hypotheses; and(C) identify the control, independent variable, and dependent variables within the research and justify the purpose of each.(8) The student develops, implements, and collects data for their investigative designs that centers around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) write the procedure of the experimental design, including a schematic of the lab, materials, set up, ethical considerations, and safety protocols;(B) conduct the experiment with the independent and dependent variables; (C) acquire data using appropriate equipment and technology; and (D) record observations as they occur within an investigation, including qualitative and quantitative observations such as journals, photographic evidence, logs, tables, and charts.(9) The student organizes and evaluates qualitative and quantitative data obtained through experimentation that centers around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) manipulate data by constructing charts, data tables, or graphs using technology to organize information collected in an experiment;(B) identify sources of random error and systematic error and differentiate between both types of error;(C) report error of a set of measured data in various formats such as standard deviation and percent error; and(D) analyze data using statistical methods to recognize patterns, trends, and proportional relationships.(10) The student knows how to synthesize valid conclusions from qualitative and quantitative data that centers around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) justify conclusions that are supported by research data;(B) consider and summarize alternative explanations for observations and results; and(C) identify limitations within the research process and provide recommendations for additional research.(11) The student communicates clearly and concisely to an audience of professionals conclusions that center around a scientific or engineering topic or problem within a specific program of study or area of interest. The student is expected to: (A) develop a plan of action on how to present to a target audience;(B) review artifacts used in the communication of the presentation for errors, grammar, professional standards, and citations;(C) develop a professional collection or portfolio of work that includes artifacts such as a journal, proposal, written procedures, methodology, iterations, interviews and check ins with professionals, changes within the experiment, and photographic evidence;(D) practice a professional presentation with peers and educators using a rubric to measure content, skill, and performance;(E) incorporate feedback provided by a review panel to document for future improvements or changes; and(F) communicate data analysis and experimental results of original findings of a research project clearly to an audience of professionals.19 Tex. Admin. Code § 127.796
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 36, September 6, 2024, TexReg 7024, eff. 9/9/2024