Transcript Re-inventing science education at KS3 & KS4

Building in progression
KS3 – KS4 sciences
Peter Campbell and Cris Edgell, Nuffield Curriculum Centre
Hugh Williets, Settle College, N Yorks
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Outcomes

pupils’ needs at KS3

Knowledge and skills required at KS4

suggested approaches to progression
planning

two examples from schools

managing change
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KS3 Science is critical
Pupils can ‘switch off’ permanently from science
unless

they get some sense of enjoyment and progress in
science lessons

they see how school science links to ‘real life’ and the
world of work
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Science education
for tomorrow’s …
scientists, doctors and engineers
- employment areas where the practice of science, technology
and/or maths is the main activity
other users of science
- employment areas where knowledge and understanding of
science, technology and/or maths is critical to, or where it
enhances occupational competence
What’s needed: subject knowledge and skills,
motivation and capacity for ongoing learning
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Science in everyday life
A science education should
help people
–
to make sense of scientific
issues that get into the news
–
to evaluate claims based on
science
–
to take part in discussion,
debate and decision-making
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June 2008 …

about 1m candidates for GCSE Science
(includes ~ 80 000 who took three GCSEs in biology, chemistry
& physics)
A Biology A Chemistry
56 000
42 000
(5.6%)
(4.2%)
A Physics
28 000
(2.8%)
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Two questions
What changes at KS3 would

better engage learners, and so make them
more successful?

develop good progression, preparing
students for C21 science courses at KS4?
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Key stage 4
Science
explanations
Modules
Ideas about Science
etc.
Knowledge: science explanations, ideas about science
Learning skills: researching, evaluating evidence & argument,
collaborating, communicating, making presentations
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IaS terminology
evidence
correlation
experimentation
explanation
argument
outcome
cause
observation
factor
data
ethics
creativity &
imagination
risk
reliability
model
validity
variables
decision
making
scientific
community
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Key stage 3
Range & content
Modules
Key concepts &
processes, curriculum
opportunities
Knowledge: range and content, science case studies
Learning skills: researching, evaluating evidence & argument,
collaborating, communicating, making presentations
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A devolved curriculum
New ‘flexibility’ - schools can design schemes of work
that engage pupils & enable deeper understanding.
Less recall.
Teachers can

shape the curriculum

collaborate with other departments & schools

drive their own CPD

create shared resources
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Tensions to manage
generic knowledge & skills v subject-specific knowledge
subject process v subject content
entitlement curriculum v student choice
age appropriate learning v preparing for future learning
stability v change
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Teaching and learning
Curriculum content
Pedagogy
Assessment
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Possible starting points
C21 Science explanations,
Ideas about science
LSS, AKSIS, Thinking skills,
Cross-curricular projects,
Thematic topics
Curriculum
Pedagogy
Assessment
APP: Assessing Pupil Progress
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Curriculum:
how science works
Compare
National Strategy’s Yearly Learning Objectives for ‘how
science works’
with
IaS statements for GCSE Science (Appendix F)
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Curriculum:
how science works
C1 – Data and their limitations (IaS 1 & 2)
Data as the starting point for scientific enquiry
P1 – Ideas and evidence (IaS 3 & 4)
How we know what we know. Hutton and rock cycle, fossils,
deep time, development of a new science of geology 18th and
19th centuries, Charles Lyell
B1 - Making decisions (IaS 5 & 6)
… about science & technology. Distinguishing what can be
done from what should be done – benefits, risks - many
opportunities
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Curriculum:
preparing for C21

Glossary of IaS terms [Science]

Data analysis & Case Study assessment criteria [Science]

Investigation assessment criteria - SCIEP [Add Science]

Work related Portfolio [Add Applied Science]

OCR Examiner Reports
Highlight the key skills, knowledge, understanding and
vocabulary that might be taught and developed in KS3.
Suggest age-related and different contexts from those
used in C21 when working towards KS4 outcomes.
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Assessment:
APP strands

Thinking scientifically

Understanding the applications and implications of
science

Communicating and collaborating in science

Using investigative approaches

Working critically with evidence
… expressed as pupil outcomes, at levels 3 - 8
Can be used as Assessment for Learning
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T & L approaches:
Project-based STEM learning
Science, Maths and DT interacting

to deal with a crisis or challenge e.g. How will you prevent the
spread of rabies from a Kent village?

to make something useful e.g. Design and make a sundial.

to improve design e.g. How will you keep the pizza hot?

to investigate a research question e.g. What is reducing
honeybee populations?
Overarching ideas: cycles, feedback, boundaries, hypothesising
and modelling
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Case study 1:
Settle College, N Yorks.

13 to 18 Technology College

two feeder Middle Schools

Pilot school for 21st Century Science
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Changes since 2003

Y9 = 2 term sprint to the exams

Fixed time table

Sc1

Post key stage 3 exams
– LSS
Data presentation (data analysis)
– LSS
Information retrieval, finding answers on the
web, evaluating websites
– Case
Study
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Liaison

Introduced HoS at middle schools to C21
science especially IaS

New KS3

How science works

Could we start KS4 in Y9?
– Looked
at where we could subsume some KS3
into first Science units.

Heads agreed that Middle Schools would take
responsibility for all of KS3
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Case study 2
Peacehaven School, East Sussex



Y9 independent study task
We wrote some 'skills' lessons to help prepare them,
which run in Y7 and Y8. ‘Now students of all abilities
really get to grips with the Y9 task.’
Investigations ‘Whenever we set we really focus on
the Interpreting and evaluating data, introducing the
idea of reliability and accuracy and linking this to
confidence.’
IaS ‘now feeding these into the new KS3 modules
that we are writing, mainly to get students used to
terminology and the way of thinking’
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Changing teaching practice
Teachers’
 Beliefs – what is science education for?
 Skills – e.g. how to develop pupil skills such as
communication and critical thinking
 Knowledge of courses, targets and assessment
 Language – vocabulary embedded in new
schemes of work and teaching approaches
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Managing change
Acids and
Alkalis
Using
models in
science light
Thinking
skills in
science
Themed
approach.
It’s a
pirates life
for me
Developing
an
argument
Increasing change from existing practice
Small change
Advantage – Context and
structure is familiar – Teachers
remain confident
Disadvantage - Teachers (and
pupils) may not spot the change
and continue teaching as before
Big change
Advantage – Greater emphasis on
HSW and change of approach to
T&L is obvious to teachers
Disadvantage - Teachers (and
pupils) may be de-skilled
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Contact
www.21stcenturyscience.org
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