Conference session

In this session, we present preliminary findings from a study examining science teachers’ experiences piloting a new K-10 science curriculum in a Western Canadian province. This curriculum marks a significant shift from previous iterations by emphasizing global competencies, reorganizing learning outcomes around Big Ideas in Science Education, and reducing both the number and prescriptiveness of learning outcomes. It also more explicitly foregrounds Indigenous Knowledges, Science Identity, and the Nature of Science as central strands in science education. Research consistently highlights the critical role of both curriculum and teachers in fostering robust scientific understanding and critical scientific literacy. However, the success of curriculum reform depends largely on teacher preparedness and the ways educators navigate areas of change. This study investigates the successes and challenges encountered by teachers during early implementation, with the goal of identifying key areas where additional support is needed ahead of province-wide implementation in Fall 2026. We will outline the major curricular shifts, situate them within current scholarship and policy directions in science education, and share emerging findings from the study. This session will be of interest to teachers, teacher educators, curriculum scholars, and education policymakers.