BEST Evidence Science Teaching

Mary Whitehouse

@MaryUYSEG University of York Science Education Group

BEST Evidence Science Teaching

• A new curriculum package for teachers of 11-14 science

• Drawing on the best available research evidence about science education

• Incorporating best available thinking on areas seen as important in shaping student’s attitudes to science

Issues and challenges of 11-14 science education

• Purposes of the 11-14 science curriculum

• Progression in learning and assessment of learning

• Student engagement

• Pedagogy and teaching support

What evidence is there?

PURPOSES OF 11-14 SCIENCE EDUCATION

Purposes of science curriculum 11-14

• What key science ideas should be included?

• What about (practical inquiry) and the nature of science?

• How does 11-14 curriculum fit in with what comes before and what comes after?

Purposes – seminar responses

• 11-14 science should not just be a filler between primary school and GCSE courses

• Needs to engage and enthuse students

• Develop knowledge and understanding of the ‘big ideas’, including the nature of science

• Provide opportunities for authentic practical inquiry

• Develop scientific literacy – science is for all

• Careers – related contexts

Purpose - is there evidence?

Evidence or opinion?

PROGRESSION IN LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

Progression in learning and assessment of learning

• What does progression in learning look like?

• What counts as effective assessment?

• What do you do with assessment, how do you report it?

Progression and assessment – seminar responses

• Year 6 – Year 7 transition is problematic in teaching

• We need clear descriptions of the progressions through the key ideas

• Need good assessment items to monitor progression

• Need resources to identify and deal with misconceptions

Progression – the evidence

Assessment – the evidence

“There is a body of firm evidence that formative assessment is an essential feature of classroom work and that development of it can raise standards.”

(Inside the black box p.19)

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Student engagement

• How do we stimulate student’s curiosity?

• What can we do to help students feel science is relevant to them?

• How do we encourage more students to want to study science beyond the compulsory period?

Engagement– seminar responses

• Start with student’s interests

• Use a variety of real world contexts

• Use historical contexts to show how science explanations develop and change as new evidence becomes available

• Be aware of diversity issues in providing contexts

Engagement – some evidence

• Pupil’s enjoyment of science increases when context-based materials are used

• Context-based materials help pupils see the link with everyday lives

• Interest and enjoyment of lessons involving context-based materials does not appear to translate to a widespread desire to study science further

Bennett, J. (2003)

PEDAGOGY AND TEACHING SUPPORT

Pedagogy and teaching support

• What resources do teachers need to plan and implement a curriculum?

• How can teachers be supported using their professional knowledge and judgement?

• What sort of support is needed for specialist and non-specialist teachers?

Pedagogy and teacher support – seminar responses

• Resources : – relevant and linked to the curriculum

– focused on teaching enduring science ideas – not aligned to specific curricula

– include cultural and historic references

• Developing pedagogy: – CPD needed to bring about change

– create a culture in which teachers have the time and support to learn new approaches

Pedagogy – the evidence

Keep in touch with UYSEG

Follow the Best Evidence Science Teaching project

Contact: uyseg@york.ac.uk

Twitter: @MaryUYSEG @UYSEG

References (1)

American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2001). Atlas of scientific literacy. AAAS, Washington, DC.

Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 68.

Bennett, J. (2003). Teaching and learning science: A guide to recent research and its applications. London: Continuum.

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box : assessment for learning in the classroom. London: G L Assessment.

Black, Paul; Harrison, Chris; Lee, Clara; Marshall, Bethan and William, Dylan (2003). Assessment for Learning- putting it into practice. Maidenhead, U.K.: Open University Press.

Driver, R. (1985). Children's ideas in science. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Harlen, W. (2010). Principles and big ideas of science education. Hatfield, UK: Association for Science Education. http://www.ase.org.uk/resources/big-ideas/

Harlen, W. (Ed.) (2015). Working with Big Ideas of Science Education. Science Education Programme (SEP) of IAP http://www.ase.org.uk/resources/big-ideas/

Hattie, J. (2008). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement: Routledge.

Johnson, P. (2011). Stuff and substance: Ten Key Practicals in Chemistry. London: Gatsby Science enhancement programme.

Johnson, P., & Papageorgiou, G. (2010). Rethinking the introduction of particle theory: A substance-based framework. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(2), 130-150. doi: 10.1002/tea.20296

References (2)

Leach, J., Ametller, J., Hind, A., Lewis, J., & Scott, P. (2003). Evidence-informed approaches to teaching science at junior high school level: outcomes in terms of student learning. Paper presented at the Contribució presentada a l’Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Philadelphia, Març.

Millar, R., Leach, J., Osborne, J., Ratcliffe, M., Hames, V., Hind, A., . . . Scott, P. (2003). Towards evidence-based practice in science education. School science review, 84(309), 19-33.

Millar, R., Leach, J., Osborne, J., & Ratcliffe, M. (2006). Improving Subject Teaching: Lessons from Research in Science Education: Towards Evidence-based Practice. London: Routledge.

Millar, R., & Osborne, J. (1998) Beyond 2000: Science education for the future: A report with ten recommendations. King's College London, School of Education.

National Research Council. (2012) A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Neumann, K., Viering, T., Boone, W. J., & Fischer, H. E. (2013). Towards a learning progression of energy. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 50(2), 162-188. doi: 10.1002/tea.21061

Osborne, J. & Dillon, J. (2010). Good practice in science teaching: what research has to say. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded formative assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Wilson, M. (2009). Measuring progressions: Assessment structures underlying a learning progression. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(6), 716-730. doi: 10.1002/tea.20318