Transcript Instructions for presentations

Early Years Science and Mathematics
Education in Europe:
Survey of Existing Approaches
Fani Stylianidou, Dimitris Rossis, Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Greece;
Esme Glauert, Institute of Education, University of London, UK;
Sari Havu-Nuutinen, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Presentation based on Creative Little Scientists Work Package 3:
Mapping and comparative assessment of existing practice http://www.creative-little-scientists.eu
Coordinator Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Greece: Dr. Fani Stylianidou
Aims of Creative
Little Scientists Project
The project seeks to provide
• A clear picture of existing and possible practices in science
and mathematics education in the early years
• Implications for development of children’s creativity and the
emergence of appropriate learning outcomes, including
children’s attitudes to science and mathematics
• Policy guidelines, as well as curricula and exemplary materials
for teacher education
Project Partners
Focus on potential for creativity in early
years mathematics and science
CLS Work Packages
Timescale
WP1
Management Framework
Completed
WP2
Conceptual framework
Completed
WP3
Desk study of policy documentation and teacher survey
Leading to Comparative Report
In progress
October 2012
WP4
In depth fieldwork in schools
January to April
2013
WP5
Development of teacher training materials
In progress
Ends October 2013
WP6
Dissemination of materials and activities
ongoing
Research questions
1.
How are the teaching, learning and assessment of science and mathematics in
Early Years in the partner countries conceptualised by teachers and what role if any
does creativity play in these?
2.
What approaches are used in the teaching, learning and assessment of science and
mathematics in Early Years in the partner countries and what role if any does
creativity play in these?
3.
In what ways do these approaches seek to foster young children’s learning and
motivation in science and mathematics, and how do teachers perceive their role in
doing so?
4.
How can findings emerging from analysis in relation to questions 1-3 inform the
development of practice in the classroom and in teacher education (ITE and CPD)?
Survey processes
D2.2
Conceptual
Framework
Research
Questions
D 3.1 List of
Mapping and
Comparison
Factors
Design of
Policy Survey
and Teacher
Survey
National
Reports for
each partner
country
D 3.2 Report
on Mapping
and
Comparing
Recorded
Practices
D 3.3 Report
on First
Survey of
School
Practice
D 3.4
Comparative
Report
Strands and dimensions
from the Conceptual
Framework (1)
Conceptual
Framework
Strands
Dimensions linked to Curriculum Components
‘The vulnerable spider web’
van den Akker (2010)
Aims
/Purpose/priorities
Rationale or vision: Why are children learning?
Aims and Objectives: Toward which goals are children learning?
Teaching, learning
and assessment
Learning activities: How are children learning?
Pedagogy: How is the teacher facilitating learning?
Assessment: How to measure how far children’s learning has progressed?
Strands and dimensions
from the Conceptual
Framework (2)
Conceptual
Framework
Strands
Dimensions
Content: What are children learning?
Location: Where are children learning?
Contextual factors
Materials and resources: With what are children learning?
Time: When are children learning?
Grouping: With whom are children learning?
Teacher Personal Characteristics
Contextual factors
TEACHERS
Teacher General Education and Training
Teacher Science and Mathematics Knowledge, Skills and Confidence
Initial teacher training
Continuing Professional Development
Factors from the Conceptual Framework
Rationale or Vision
•
•
•
•
•
Science economic imperative
Creative economic imperative
Scientific literacy
Technological imperative
Context for developing general skills and
dispositions
Policy Survey:
Rationale or Vision
• Main emphases on fostering
– Socially and environmentally aware citizens
– Skills and dispositions to support future learning
• Little emphasis on producing future scientists
or innovative thinkers
• Creativity associated with inquiry, curiosity,
critical evaluation
Teacher survey:
Rationale or Vision
Not important - 1
-3
-2
Very important - 4
To develop socially and environmentally aware and
responsible citizens
To develop important attitudes and dispositions as a
foundation for future learning
To develop more innovative thinkers
To develop positive attitudes to science
To enrich the understanding and interaction with
phenomena in nature and technology
To provide a foundational education for future
scientists and engineers
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
To provide a foundational education
for future scientists and engineers
Teacher survey:
Rationale or Vision
Not important - 1
-2
-3
Very important - 4
England
Romania
Portugal
Greece
Finland
Belgium (Fl)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Factors from the Conceptual Framework
Aims and objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Knowledge and understanding of science content
Understanding about scientific inquiry
Science process skills
Capabilities to carry out scientific inquiry
Social factors
Affective factors
Creative dispositions
Policy Survey:
Aims and objectives
• Main emphases on cognitive dimensions
– Process skills
– Understanding scientific ideas
• Limited attention to
– social and affective dimensions
– nature of science
• Role for creativity in relation to investigating, curiosity
• Limited emphasis on creativity in developing scientific
ideas
Teacher survey:
Aims and objectives
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Quite often - 3
Very often - 4
To be able to collaborate with other children.
To have positive attitudes to learning.
To be able to ask a question about objects.…
To be interested in science.
To have positive attitudes to science learning.
To be able to employ simple equipment and tools,…
To be able to communicate investigations and…
To know and understand important scientific…
To know and understand the important scientific…
To be able to plan and conduct a simple…
To understand that scientists develop explanations…
To understand that scientific investigations involve…
To understand that scientists describe the…
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Factors from the Conceptual Framework:
Learning activities
• focus on cognitive dimensions, such as:
– questioning
– designing or planning investigations
– gathering evidence, e.g. observing, running
experiments (using equipment, manipulating
materials, collecting data)
– making connections
• focus on social dimensions, such as:
– explaining evidence
– communicating explanations
Policy Survey:
Learning activities
• Observing, communicating and questioning
(pre-school)most emphasised
• Some emphasis on investigating and use of
equipment (in primary)
• More varied emphasis on planning
investigations or using data to construct
explanations.
Teacher Survey:
Learning activities
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Quite often - 3
Very often - 4
Observe natural phenomena such as the weather
or a plant growing and describe what they see.
Ask questions about objects, organisms, and
events in the environment.
Communicate the results of their investigations
and explanations.
Employ simple equipment and tools to gather
data and extend to the senses.
Use data to construct reasonable explanations.
Conduct simple investigations or projects.
Design or plan simple investigations or projects.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Teacher Survey:
Learning activities
Design or plan simple investigations
or projects
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Quite often - 3
Very often - 4
England
Romania
Greece
Belgium (Fl)
Portugal
Finland
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Factors from the Conceptual Framework:
Pedagogy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Play and exploration
Motivation and affect
Dialogue and collaboration
Problem solving and agency
Questioning and curiosity
Reflection and reasoning
Teacher scaffolding
Policy Survey:
Pedagogy
• Common emphasis on
– Play, autonomous learning in preschool
– problem solving and children trying out ideas
– Promoting inquiry skills
• More limited attention to affective and social
dimensions
– Varied contexts for learning – drama, history, field trips
– reflection or connecting explanations to scientific ideas
– Role of imagination or discussion of alternative ideas
Teacher Survey:
Pedagogy
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Quite often - 3
Very often - 4
Using history to teach science (e.g. transport, the work of scientists)
Drama
Taking children on field trips and/or visits to science museums and industry
Using digital technologies with children for science teaching and learning
Fostering autonomous learning
Teaching science from stories
Using outdoor learning activities
Role/Pretend play
Open/unstructured play
Encouraging children to try out their own ideas in investigations
Encouraging different ways of recording and expressing ideas – oral, visual,…
Physical exploration of materials
Integrating science with other curricular areas
Fostering classroom discussion and evaluation of alternative ideas
Using questioning as a tool in science teaching
Working in small groups
Relating science to everyday life
Encouraging problem solving – e.g. children solving practical tasks
Encouraging problem finding – e.g. children asking questions
Fostering imagination
Building on children’s prior experiences
Fostering collaboration
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
:
Assessment
Factors from the Conceptual Framework
• Assessment function/purpose
– formative (assessment for learning)
– summative
– recipient of assessment results
• Assessment way/process
– Strategy
– Forms of evidence
– Locus of assessment judgment
Policy Survey:
Assessment
• Wide variation in policy requirements
• Limited guidance and often lack of match with
rationale and aims.
• Greatest focus on scientific ideas.
• Some references to understandings and skills of
inquiry
• Neglect of social and affective dimensions
• Limited attention to multimodal assessment or
involvement of children
Teacher survey:
Assessment
Not important - 1
-2
-3
Very important - 4
Positive attitudes and increase of interest in science
Positive attitudes and increase of interest in learning
science
Knowledge and understanding of scientific processes
Knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas
(facts, concepts, laws and theories)
Competencies necessary to carry out scientific
inquiry
Understandings about scientific inquiry (e.g. how
science and scientists work)
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Teacher survey:
Assessment
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Quite often - 3
Very often - 4
During classroom interaction
Using portfolios (collection of evidence of…
Evaluating children’s pictures, graphs etc which…
Evaluating children’s relevant gestures or physical…
Using authentic problem-based tasks
Using questions in context
Children correcting each other's work and giving…
Asking each child to reflect on their own learning…
Using open question tests
Marking their homework
Using checklists to record observations of children
Using closed question tests
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Implications for
WP4 and WP5
• Potential for inquiry and creativity in early years science and
mathematics
• Complex relationships between policy and practice and
between different dimensions of policy
• Areas for further exemplification and support include
–
–
–
–
–
–
social and affective dimensions of science learning
planning investigations and evaluating ideas and explanations
nature of science
approaches to assessment
mutimodal approaches to representing and expressing ideas
scope for autonomy – for both children and teachers
Acknowledgements
Presentation based on Work Package 3: http://www.creative-little-scientists.eu
Coordinator Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Greece: Dr. Fani Stylianidou
Lead partners for this Work Package
D 3.1 University of Eastern Finland, Sari Havu-Nuutinen
D 3.2 Institute of Education, Esmé Glauert and Andrew Manches
D 3.3 Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Greece, Fani Stulianidou, Dimitris Rossis
Contributing partners
Open University, UK: Anna Craft, Teresa Cremin, Jim Clack; Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, UK: Ashley Compton,
Jane Johnston, Alison Riley; University College Aarteveldehogesschool, Belgium: Hilde Van Houte, Kirsten Devlieger, Marike De
Smet; Goethe University Frankfurt: Annette Scheersoi; University of Minho, Portugal, Manuel F.M. Costa, Paulo Varela; National
Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics: Dan Sporea, Adelina Sporea: Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France: Olga
Megalakaki; University of Malta: Suzanne Gatt.
This publication/presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Survey items:
Rationale or Vision
1
•
•
To provide a foundational education for future scientists and
engineers
To develop socially and environmentally aware and responsible
citizens
To enrich the understanding and interaction with phenomena in
nature and technology
To develop more innovative thinkers
•
To develop positive attitudes to science
•
To develop important attitudes and dispositions as a foundation for
future learning
•
•
2
3
4
Survey items:
Aims and objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To know and understand the important scientific ideas (facts, concepts, laws and theories).
To understand that scientists describe the investigations in ways that enable others to repeat the
investigations.
To be able to ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
To be able to employ simple equipment and tools, such as magnifiers, thermometers, and rulers, to gather
data and extend to the senses.
To know and understand important scientific processes.
To be able to communicate investigations and explanations.
To understand that scientific investigations involve asking and answering a question and comparing the
answer with what scientists already know about the world.
To have positive attitudes to science learning.
To be interested in science.
To be able to plan and conduct a simple investigation.
To have positive attitudes to learning.
To understand that scientists develop explanations using observations (evidence) and what they already
know about the world (scientific knowledge).
To be able to collaborate with other children
Survey items:
Learning activities
•
•
Observe natural phenomena such as the weather or a plant growing
and describe what they see.
Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events in the
environment.
Design or plan simple investigations or projects.
•
Conduct simple investigations or projects
•
•
Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend to the
senses.
Use data to construct reasonable explanations.
•
Communicate the results of their investigations and explanations.
•
Survey items: Pedagogy
Contexts
Approaches
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Building on children’s prior experiences
Fostering collaboration
Encouraging different ways of recording and
expressing ideas
Encouraging problem finding
Encouraging problem solving
Encouraging children to try out their own ideas in
investigations
Fostering classroom discussion and evaluation of
alternative ideas
Fostering imagination
Relating science to everyday life
Using questioning as a tool in science teaching
Using digital technologies
Fostering autonomous learning
Open/unstructured play
Role/Pretend play
Drama
Teaching science from stories
Using history to teach science
Working in small groups
Physical exploration of materials
Using outdoor learning activities
Taking children on field
trips/science museums and
industry
• Integrating science with other
curricular areas
Survey items:
Assessment
Priorities for assessment
Ways of assessing
• Knowledge and understanding of
scientific ideas (facts, concepts,
laws and theories)
• Knowledge and understanding of
scientific processes
• Competencies necessary to carry
out scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific
inquiry (e.g. how science and
scientists work)
• Positive attitudes and increase of
interest in science
• Positive attitudes and increase of
interest in learning science
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Using checklists to record observations of
children
During classroom interaction
Evaluating children’s pictures, graphs etc
which show their scientific reasoning
Evaluating children’s relevant gestures or
physical activity
Marking their homework
Using authentic problem-based tasks
Asking each child to reflect on their own
learning and progress
Using closed question tests
Using open question tests
Using questions in context
Using portfolios (collection of evidence of
children’s work and progress)
Children correcting each other's work and
giving each other feedback
Curriculum components
‘ The vulnerable spider web’
van den Akker (2010)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rationale or vision: Why are children learning?
Aims and objectives: Toward which goals are children learning?
Content: What are children learning?
Location: Where are children learning?
Learning activities: How are children learning?
Teacher role: How is the teacher facilitating learning?
Materials and resources: With what are children learning?
Grouping: With whom are children learning?
Time: When are children learning?
Assessment: How to measure how far children’s learning has
progressed?