Supporting teachers, countering misinformation: NCSE's work with the National Academies
The NCSE Science Education and Outreach team is collaborating with the National Academies and science education organizations across the country to support best practices in K–12 classrooms. The Collaborative for Advancing Science Teaching and Learning in K–12 (CASTL K–2) leverages the infrastructure of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to bring together a wide range of stakeholders to learn from each other and to develop coordinated action plans.
The goals of CASTL K–12 are to:
- Develop coherent strategies for supporting implementation of science standards across states and districts
- Launch and coordinate a networked community of practice for stakeholders at all levels
- Share and build on evidence-based policies, tools, and examples
- Advance a unified communication and engagement strategy for K–12 science and engineering education
The work of CASTL–K12 is organized into four working groups. NCSE is part of the Retaining and Sustaining High-Quality Science Educators group which is focused on developing high-quality science teachers who are equipped, motivated, and supported to inspire the next generation of learners. The working group allows us to collaborate with science leaders from organizations such as OpenSciEd, the Exploratorium, state departments of education, and university science teacher educators. Each member of the working group is developing an action plan within its sphere of influence aimed at sustaining and retaining high quality science teachers in K–12 classrooms. NCSE’s own action plan leverages these partnerships to support teacher learning around misinformation using our DataWISE classroom resources.
“It is an honor for NCSE to have a role in the CASTL K–12 Action Collaborative and be recognized among national leaders who are working tirelessly to strengthen K–12 education,” NCSE Executive Director Amanda L. Townley said. “Our dedication to helping educators overcome and address misconceptions and disinformation about climate science, evolution, and science as a whole is strengthened through this collaboration with state leaders, education organizations, universities, and curriculum developers in ways that amplify our impact. Along with our partners, we have a unique opportunity to share our expertise while learning from others, collectively advancing evidence-based practices that will empower teachers and students in classrooms around the country.”
A key topic at the summer 2025 CASTL K–12 meeting in California was the National Academies’ report Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science, a topic that is near and dear to NCSE’s mission. The report underscores the urgent need to equip both the public and educators with effective tools for navigating and countering scientific misinformation. It examines the scope and impacts of misinformation, considers the broader social contexts that shape how people engage with information, and provides guidance on interventions, policies, and future research to mitigate its harms. The report highlights the need for proactive solutions to address misinformation around science in the K–12 space and beyond, a need that the NCSE DataWISE tool is uniquely positioned to address.
DataWISE was designed to help students critically evaluate data-based claims and integrate established media literacy strategies, with a special emphasis on how data can be misrepresented, with science practices. The tool guides students to ask whether a claim is Worthy of attention, to Inspect the data, to assess whether interpretations make Sense, and to reflect on the Emotions elicited by the presentation of evidence. In light of the report and the goals of CASTL K–12, our own action plan is to further promote and refine DataWISE as a way to support teachers in confronting misinformation while equipping students with the skills to recognize it. We believe that with deliberate and repeated use, students can internalize the guiding questions of DataWISE and apply them broadly when evaluating information and misinformation.
Looking Ahead …
NCSE continues to collaborate with CASTL K–12 partners to refine and expand the use of DataWISE. Recently, we joined a symposium on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science at the National Academies in Washington, DC, further strengthening these connections. Our ongoing engagement with the National Academies and other science leadership groups underscores how NCSE’s mission aligns with broader national initiatives to strengthen science education, contributing to systemic conversations that are shaping the future of the field.
