2019 - saint andrew's junior college...biology o level : state what is meant by continuous...

2019

Why is it important that JC students re-examine their academic strategies?

What can students do to achieve academicexcellence?

How do we support them?

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Self directed learning

Thinking Skills

Curriculum

Foundation Knowledge

Subject Mastery through Active Learning Strategies

Learning outcomes

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Self directed learning

Thinking Skills

Curriculum

Foundation Knowledge

Subject Mastery through Active Learning Strategies

Learning outcomes

https://www.seab.gov.sg/home/examinations/gce-a-level/2019-gce-a-level-syllabus-for-school-candidates

LEARNING OUTCOMES

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Self directed learning

Thinking Skills

Curriculum

Foundation Knowledge

Subject Mastery through Active Learning Strategies

Learning outcomes

ASSESSMENTOBJECTIVES

% QUESTION TYPE

KNOWLEDGE WITH UNDERSTANDING

32 % • Definition• State• Name• Describe• Outline

HANDLING, APPLYING & EVALUATING INFORMATION

48 % • Locate, select, organise and presentation information

• Apply knowledge• Analyse & Evaluate information• Bring together knowledge and apply

in a particular context / novel situation.

EXPERIMENTAL SKILLS & INVESTIGATION

20 % • Evaluate methods and techniques• Record, present, interpret, evaluate

observations / data

Mere memorisation / Rote learning will not even guarantee a pass!

“Science at 'A' Level was never this difficult though,but things seemed to have changed in recent years. Ican't exactly pinpoint when this trend began, but itprobably coincided with the time Cambridgeexaminers decided to up the ante for Singaporecandidates with an unprecedentedly difficult paper in2010. From then on, it became a norm for Cambridgeto design questions that are set in novel andunfamiliar contexts.”

Straits Times Dec 21, 2010 - A-level chemistry examcauses a stir Students and teachers lament 'unusuallyhard' question. BY LIEW HANQING,hanqing@sph.com.sg

PHYSICSO Level : Calculate the combined resistance of the parallel circuit.

A Level : Part (c) illustrates what can happen with parallel circuits when components are switched on and off, but you do not usually find your lights going dim when you when you neighbour switches on his or her dishwasher. Suggest and explain two reasons why this reduction in power does not happen with the public electrical supply.

BIOLOGY

O Level : State what ismeant by continuousvariation.

A Level : With referenceto Fig.5.1, explain whythere is a range ofphenotypes for thischaracteristic.

A LEVEL: 2015 Paper 3

CHEMISTRYO Level : State the type of bonding in NaCl.

O LEVEL

A LEVELPaper Type of paper Duration Weighting (%)1 Multiple choice 1 h 15

2 Structured questions 2 h 30

3 Free Response questions (Chemistry)

Long structured questions (Physics)

Long structured questions (Biology)

2 h 35

4 Practical Paper 2 h 30 min 20

Paper Type of paper Duration Weighting (%)1 Multiple choice 1 h 33

2 Structured questions 2 h 67

H2

H1

MONTH EXAMS / HOLS

SYLLABUS COMPLETION

January

90 % completed

February

March BT1

April

May

June BT2

July BT2 100 % completedAugust

September Prelim1 week Hols

Prelim

October

November A levels

December

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Self directed learning

Thinking Skills

Curriculum

Foundation Knowledge

Subject Mastery through Active Learning Strategies

Learning outcomes

Incrementalist Theory,

“Smart is not something you are; smart is something you get (incrementally) by working hard and smart.”

Jeff Howard and Verna Ford, Efficacy Institute, Lexington, Massachusetts

ACTIVE LEARNING

ORIGIN OF ACTIVE LEARNING?

WHAT IS ACTIVE LEARNING?

ASSESSMENT POST REFLECTION

Reading Questions Carefully

Content gap

Answering skills

Thinking Skills

Time Management

Motivation

What has gone wrong during the exam?How can I improve?What are the specific areas I can improve on?

clarity in concepts and theory.

precision and detail inscientific vocabulary,terminology andconventions.

• Sieving the information from the question anddistinguishing the relevant from the extraneous.

• Applying (bridging) knowledge to novel situation usingprinciples and concepts within the syllabus.

LEARNING IN TUTORIALS & LECTURES…

Understanding of key phrases in a question to reinforce what is the format of presentation required.

To ascertain if you have unlearned misconceptions that are commonly made.

To identify / level up learning gaps on commonly asked questions.

To learn and apply appropriate thinking routine & problem solving strategies to novel questions.

To read lecture notes in advance (Lecture notes have minimal blanks to encourage prior reading).

How can I maximize my learning through tutorials & lectures?

Is doing my tutorials enough?How do I effectively gain from lectures?

LEARNING IN PRACTICALS…

To link theory to practicals to ensure better content understanding.

To use experiments durngpractical lessons to identify / level up learning gaps on concepts learnt in theory.

To identify signature experiments as defined in the syllabus

How can I maximize my learning through practicals?

How do I effectively gain from practicals?

• Lectures are webcast.• Online videos of

signature practicals.• Online resources via SLS

and google site (e.g. revision package, tutorial solutions)

Online resources

• Take the initiative to schedule consultations when absent for lessons.

• Take the initiative to clear your doubts regularly.

Consultations

• Tutorial / Assignment• Topical Revision

Package• Exam revision package• Practical revision

package• SLS online quiz

Student Directed Learning Resources

“I wish I had known that it was okay to beopen in class. I knew that there wasnothing wrong with asking questions andbeing upfront about something I wasn’tquite grasping, but the background I comefrom often stress the idea “be respectfuland be silent”. That whole idea for the firstsemester prevented me from participatingin class discussions or asking questionsbecause I felt I would have beendisrespectful if I interrupted to asksomething.”

STUDENT REFLECTION…

“Initially I often avoided difficult situationsby always agreeing or simply noddingwhen I didn’t understand. But as Iprogressed, I realised that it was affectingmy learning to simply be passive. So now Ideal with my problems aggressively. Iactively see teachers for consultation,almost every week just to make sure that Iam correct and to get assistance when Idon’t understand something.”

STUDENT REFLECTION…

Learning resource

Learning approach

Assessment and Feedback

Have a revision routine and a study plan

Be prepared for lesson

Adopt an active learning attitude

Aspiring Mindset

Encourage active learningEncouraging them to sleep early andhave sufficient rest.Help your child plan their free time.Having regular conversations with yourchild, and motivating them whennecessary.

SXF3

Slide 25

SXF3 Again can suggest that they don't go for long vacation during June and Sep.Soh Xiao Fen, 9/4/2018

ChemistryHOD Science 1 Ms Sunarfa

sunarfa_supaah@moe.edu.sgSH Chemistry Ms Soh Xiao Fen

soh_xiao_fen@moe.edu.sg

Biology and PhysicsHOD Science 2 Mr Ang Thiam Wei

ang_thiam_wei@moe.edu.sgSH Biology Ms Yvonne Tng

tng_yee_min_yvonne@moe.edu.sgSH Physics Mr Jae Chia

chia_thien_huat@moe.edu.sg