teaching for scientific literacy: some reflections on the twenty first century science project peter...
TRANSCRIPT
Teaching for scientific literacy:Some reflections on the Twenty
First Century Science project
Peter Campbell, Nuffield Curriculum Centre
Robin Millar, University of York
First, some background
• about the education system in England
• about the problems facing science education in many countries
Science education in England
• All pupils study science from age 5 to age 16• Content is specified by the National Curriculum• A ‘balanced science’ course
• equal amounts of biology, chemistry, physics
• External tests at age 11 and 14• plus teacher assessment of pupils’ progress
• General Certificate of Education (GCSE) examination at age 16
• Free choice of 4 subjects in upper secondary school (usually reduced to 3 in final year)• no requirement to include a science subject
Important differences compared with The Netherlands
• One National Curriculum for all students• Not ‘streamed’ secondary education
• A statutory programme in science from 5-16, not in each of the separate sciences
• Student progress assessed mainly by external examinations
Science course options
Most: Double Award Science
Balanced, 20%
Some: Single Award Science
Balanced, 10%
Some: Separate Sciences
Must take all three, 20-30%
A few: Applied Science
Balanced, vocational, 20%
Very few: no science
For all
Science
Balanced (equal biology, chemistry, physics, with some Earth Science, astronomy)
Approximately 15% of school curriculum time
Key Stage 4
(age 15-16 (GCSE))
Key Stage 3
(age 11-14)
Key Stage 5
(age 17-18)
Some: AS and A-level in one or more sciences
Some: Applied or vocational science courses
A few: International Baccalaureate
Many: no science course
Science course options(commonest pathway)
Most: Double Award Science
Balanced, 20%
Some: Single Award Science
Balanced, 10%
Some: Separate Sciences
Usually Balanced, 20-30%
Some: Applied Science
Balanced, vocational, 20%
A few: no science
For all
Science
Balanced (equal biology, chemistry, physics, with some Earth Science, astronomy)
Approximately 15% of school curriculum time
Key Stage 4
(age 15-16 (GCSE))
Key Stage 3
(age 11-14)
Key Stage 5
(age 17-18)
Some: AS and A-level in one or more sciences
Some: Applied or vocational science courses
A few: International Baccalaureate
Many: no science course
Number of students taking A-level physics
Year Number 1992 41 301 1993 38 168 1994 36 147 1995 34 802 1996 33 033 1997 33 243 1998 33 769 1999 33 548 2000 31 794 2001 30 802 2002 31 543 2003 30 583 2004 28 698 2005 28 119 2006 27 368
(Source: Inter Examination Board Statistics)
Students’ Views (n=1227)Strongly disagree
%
Disagree%
Agree%
Strongly agree
%
I like school science better than other subjects
43 25 20 11
I would like to become a scientist
58 21 13 8
I would like to get a job in technology
41 25 21 13
Jenkins, E., & Nelson, N. W. (2005). Important but not for me: Students' attitudes toward secondary school science in England. Research in Science & Technological Education, 23(1), 41-57.
y = -3.5554x + 642.4R2 = 0.4958
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
0 20 40 60 80 100Percentage of Students with high score for Positive Attitude Toward Science
Ave
rage
Sci
ence
Sco
re
Korea
J apan
TaiwanSingapore
AustraliaEnglandCanada
United StatesHong KongNew Zealand
ItalyCyprus
Israel
Int. Average
ThailandJ ordan
Turkey
Chile Indonesia
Iran
Tunisia
Malaysia
Philippines
South Africa
Science attainment and attitude (from TIMSS, 1999)
Ave
rage
sci
ence
sco
re
% of students (age 14) with high PATS (positive attitude towards science)
An opportunity to explore alternatives
Oct. 2000 York Science Education Group awarded a contract by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to develop a more flexible model of the science curriculum for 15-16 year olds, and consult users on this
Feb. 2001 Report submitted
Sept. 2001 Asked by QCA to develop detailed outlines for a suite of GCSEs based on the preferred model
Mar. 2002 Draft curriculum proposals submitted to QCA
A starting point
• “The science curriculum from 5 to 16 should be seen primarily as a course to enhance general ‘scientific literacy’.”
• How can we achieve this, whilst also catering for the needs of those who may want to go on to further study?
The central tension
The first stages of a training in science
Access to basic scientific literacy
for somefor all
It has to provide:
The school science curriculum has to do two jobs.
No single curriculum can do both well.What we offer falls between the two stools.
Old curriculum model
• Most students do Double Award GCSE Science• balanced course including biology, chemistry,
physics• taking 20% of curriculum time
Proposed new curriculum model
GCSE Science
10% curriculum time
Emphasis on scientific literacy
(the science everyone needs to know)
for all students
GCSE Additional Science
10% curriculum time
or
GCSE Additional Applied Science
10% curriculum time
for many students
Testing the model
• Piloted in 78 schools from September 2003
• Teaching materials developed by Twenty First Century Science project
• Extensively revised for use from September 2006
• when all GCSE Science courses will have a ‘core plus additional’ structure
• A ‘scientific literacy’ emphasis
– what does it mean in practice?
Giving priority to
• the kind of understanding of science that is of potential value to everyone
• …. rather than the kind of understanding of science that only future scientists need.
• The aim: ‘to ensure that as many students as possible understand science and technology to a degree that will make them feel at home in a modern world and enable them to make informed decisions about important questions that deal with scientific matters.’
(Moore, J.A. (1988). Journal of College Teaching, 17, 445)
Scientific literacy entails being able to read with understanding articles about science in the popular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions.
Scientific literacy implies that a person can identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express opinions that are scientifically and technologically informed.
Scientific literacy also implies the capacity to pose and evaluate arguments based on evidence and to apply conclusions from such arguments appropriately.
Scientific literacy(National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996))
European Commission (1995) White Paper on Education and Training
Clearly this [scientific literacy] does not mean turning everyone into a scientific expert, but enabling them to fulfil an enlightened role in making choices which affect their environment and to understand in broad terms the social implications of debates between experts.
(pp. 11-12.)
Scientific literacy in Twenty First Century Science
• a ‘toolkit’ of ideas and skills that are useful for accessing, interpreting and responding to science, as we encounter it in everyday life
New ‘drivers’ for curriculum content choices
• Choices not only based on the structure of the scientific disciplines
• But also informed by the science that people actually meet in everyday life• where an understanding might actually make
a differenceTo what you doTo what you think
What science do we meet everyday?
• emphasis on health, medicine, environment
• risk and risk factors• claims about
correlations and causes
• issues that arise when scientific ideas are applied
A newspaper survey, July/Aug 200130 science-related articles: Daily Mail, The Guardian, Independent
on Sunday, Daily Telegraph
Science content %Chemicals/chemical change 20Anatomy/physiology 17Cells as a basic unit of life 20Genes 17Earth science 11Reproduction 9Space 6Energy sources and uses 6
A newspaper survey - continued
Ideas about science %
Basis for a personal decision (e.g. diet) 80
Claim involving factor & outcome 57
Explanation for some data 57
Risk 40Design of an investigation 23
Critique of a policy, based on science 23
Ethical dimension 23
Quality of data 20
What do you need to deal thoughtfully with this?
• Some understanding of major scientific ideas and explanations
• Some understanding of science itself:
• about the methods of scientific enquiry
• about the nature of scientific knowledge
• about how science and society inter-relate
Science Explanations
• The ‘big ideas’ of science• For example: e.m.
radiation, radioactivity, the structure of the universe
• What matters is a broad grasp of major ideas and explanations, not disconnected details
Ideas about Science
• The uncertainty of all data: how to assess it and deal with it
• How to evaluate evidence of correlations and causes
• The different kinds of knowledge that science produces (ranging from agreed ‘facts’ to more tentative explanations)
• How the scientific community works: peer review
• How to assess levels of risk, and weigh up risks and benefits
• How individuals and society decide about applications of science
Putting it all togetherScience
ExplanationsModules Ideas about
Science
etc.
Teaching is through issues and contexts; but the learning we hope will be ‘durable’ is of Science Explanations and Ideas about Science.
Science modules
• You and your genes B• Air quality C• The Earth in the Universe P• Keeping healthy B• Material choices C• Radiation and life P• Life on Earth B• Food matters C• Radioactive materials P
• Detailed teaching scheme to show how each module can be taught in 12 hours of lesson time
• This allows time for extension, and for coursework tasks
• Supported by textbook, photocopy masters, ICT resources
So how is it different?
• Greater emphasis on Ideas about Science• Qualitative grasp of major explanations and
models – avoiding unnecessary detail• Some new content
• risk• evaluating claims about correlations and risk factors• clinical trials
• More opportunities to talk, discuss, analyse, and develop arguments• about science • and about its applications and implications
Science … plus
• Additional Science• introduction to major science concepts and
ideas that provide the basis for more advanced academic study
emphasis on concepts and modelssatisfaction of understanding
• Additional Applied Science• Introduction to science as it is used in contexts
other than researchemphasis on how science is appliedsatisfaction of practical capability in using standard
techniques of measurement, analysis, testing
Additional Science modules
• Homeostasis B• Chemical patterns C• Explaining motion P• Growth and development B• Chemicals of the natural
environment C
• Electric circuits P• Brain and mind B• Chemical synthesis C• The wave model of radiation P
• Detailed teaching scheme showing how each module can be taught in 12 hours of lesson time
• Supported by textbook, photocopy masters, ICT resources
Additional Applied Science modules
• Three modules, chosen from:• Life care B• Agriculture and food B• Scientific detection C• Harnessing chemicals C• Materials and performance C/P• Communication P
• Teaching scheme for 36 hours of lesson time• Supported by textbook, photocopy masters,
ICT resources
An example: A6 Materials and performance
Ap6.1 People and organisations
Ap6.2 Mechanical
behaviour of materials
Ap6.3Electrical,
thermal and acoustic
behaviour of materials
Ap6.4 Optical
behaviour of materials
Ap6.5 Underlying skills and knowledge
Video sequences for applied science
• The idea: take students on very short, virtual visits, directly-related to classroom activities
• Diverse locations:• Longley farm - from cow to yoghurt
• Ferraris – testing baby monitors
• Manufacturing agrochemicals
• Human performance lab, Middlesex University
• National Gallery – examining paint
• Rolls Royce – testing turbine blades
• Environmental Agency – monitoring a stream
• Whittington hospital – hoists and gears
• National Physical Laboratory – measuring temperature
Feedback from pilot school teachers
• Questionnaires completed by 40 pilot school teachers at end of the first year
Is Core Science successful in improving students’ general scientific literacy?
Teachers’ views Number of teachers
Very successful 9
Successful 26
Neutral 2
Unsuccessful 1
Very unsuccessful 2
Sample responses
Clearly having an effect. Pupils discussing issues from experience, issues from news, from magazines, both in and out of lessons.
Very successful with most students. Students are prepared to discuss a topic, question ideas and listen to others.
Students were amazed at first to be asked their opinions on topics. Now they are much more knowledgeable about current scientific issues and willing to express concerns, opinions.
How did students respond?
Pilot teachers’ views Number of teachers
Much better 6
Better 21
Same 7
Worse 4
Much worse 1
What did they see as the reasons for this?
Students are generally more interested in science as they can see the relevance.
[Students’ interest is] Greater because of what’s happening in the news now.
Very pleased with the engagement of all abilities of pupils.
Positive aspects identified by teachers (n=40)
Aspect No. of teachers
Everyday relevance of content, up to date, links to science in the media
23
Computer-based resources provided 18
Use of case studies, inclusion of ethical issues, links to citizenship, opportunities to discuss and debate, develops critical thinking
15
Less emphasis on factual content, more emphasis on ideas-about-science
14
Good practical activities, better coursework tasks 6
Layout and style of textbook 4
Range of learning styles and skills required, encourages independent learning
4
Challenges identified by teachers (n=40)
Aspect No. of teachers
Language demand of resources, not enough differentiation for weaker students
24
Demand on students to reason, debate; managing such activities in class
15
Fitting everything into time available; finding way around new resources; recognising what is essential for exam success
13
Less practical work 11
Being part of a pilot, getting materials at short notice, preparing for new activities
9
Activities that don’t engage some students, specific topics or modules named as difficult
4
What did we do in response?
• Project worked with pilot schools to:• develop new or alternative materials
for some activities with lower reading demand
• more practical activities added to some modules
• changes to assessment procedures to make these more manageable
End of year 2 (compared with end of year 1) (n=51)
Teachers’ views of: More +ve
Same Less +ve
n.r.
The Twenty First Century Science model
23 20 1 7
The core Science course 26 20 4 1
External evaluation of pilot
• Student learning• Compared to students following a more
conventional science programme
• Changes in students’ attitudes towards science and school science• Again, compared to students following a
more conventional science programme
• Classroom practices and teaching approaches
Evaluation studies
• Teachers’ understanding of course, and range of teaching methods, improved during the pilot
• Positive teacher and student response• Greater student interest in reading about
science• No negative impact on conceptual
understanding
Evaluation of pilot: practical outcomes
• Revised version of course specification from 2006
• Fully revised editions of all course materials
• Differentiated textbooks for Science course
Twenty First Century Science
Suite for 2006
Entry level GCSE Science
GCSE AdditionalScience
GCSE AdditionalApplied Science
GCSE BiologyGCSE Chemistry
GCSE Physics
or
Single AwardFull range GCSE
F and H tiers
Single AwardsFull range GCSEs
F and H tiers
Single AwardsFull range GCSEs
F and H tiers
For all students For most students For some studentsFor some students
OCR’s Entry LevelCourse feeds
into GCSE Science
What have we learned?• Better understanding of the curriculum
implications of ‘scientific literacy’• We learn by trying to put our ideas into practice
• How to integrate ideas about science with science explanations (content)
• That teachers and students in general respond very positively to a ‘scientific literacy’ approach
• That considerable teacher support is needed to make it work well
• That we need to develop better ways of assessing the learning outcomes we value
