Teaching for scientific literacy:

1. Teaching for scientific literacy: Some reflections on the Twenty First Century Science project Peter Campbell, Nuffield Curriculum Centre Robin Millar, University of York

2. First, somebackground • about the education system in England • about the problems facing science education in many countries

3. 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

4. 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

5. Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) Key Stage 4 (age 15-16 (GCSE)) 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 For all Science Balanced (equal biology, chemistry, physics, with some Earth Science, astronomy) Approximately 15% of school curriculum time 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

6. Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) Key Stage 4 (age 15-16 (GCSE)) 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) For all Science Balanced (equal biology, chemistry, physics, with some Earth Science, astronomy) Approximately 15% of school curriculum time 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

7. Number of students taking A-level physics

8. Students’ Views (n=1227) 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.

9. Science attainment and attitude (from TIMSS, 1999) Average science score % of students (age 14) with high PATS (positive attitude towards science)

10. An opportunity to explore alternatives

11. 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?

12. The first stages of a training in science Access to basic scientific literacy The central tension The school science curriculum has to do two jobs. It has to provide: for all for some No single curriculum can do both well. What we offer falls between the two stools.

13. Old curriculum model • Most students do Double Award GCSE Science • balanced course including biology, chemistry, physics • taking 20% of curriculum time

14. GCSE Additional Science 10% curriculum time GCSE Science 10% curriculum time Emphasis on scientific literacy (the science everyone needs to know) or GCSE Additional Applied Science 10% curriculum time for all students for many students Proposed new curriculum model

15. 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

16. A ‘scientific literacy’ emphasis – what does it mean in practice?

17. 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)

18. Scientific literacy (NationalScience Education Standards (NRC, 1996)) 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.

19. 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.)

20. 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

21. 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 difference • To what you do • To what you think

22. 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

23. A newspaper survey, July/Aug 2001 30 science-related articles: Daily Mail, The Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Daily Telegraph Science content % Chemicals/chemical change 20 Anatomy/physiology 17 Cells as a basic unit of life 20 Genes 17 Earth science 11 Reproduction 9 Space 6 Energy sources and uses 6

24. 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 40 Design of an investigation23 Critique of a policy, based on science 23 Ethical dimension 23 Quality of data 20

25. What do you need to deal thoughtfully with this? • Some understanding of major scientific ideas and explanations • Some understanding ofscienceitself: • about the methods of scientific enquiry • about the nature of scientific knowledge • about how science and society inter-relate

26. 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

27. 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

28. Modules Science Explanations Ideas about Science etc. Putting it all together Teaching is through issues and contexts; but the learning we hope will be ‘durable’ is of Science Explanations and Ideas about Science.

29. 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

30. 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

31. Science … plus • Additional Science • introduction to major science concepts and ideas that provide the basis for more advanced academic study • emphasis on concepts and models • satisfaction of understanding • Additional Applied Science • Introduction to science as it is used in contexts other than research • emphasis on how science is applied • satisfaction of practical capability in using standard techniques of measurement, analysis, testing

32. 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

33. 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

34. An example: A6 Materials and performance

35. 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

36. Feedback from pilot school teachers • Questionnaires completed by 40 pilot school teachers at end of the first year

37. Is Core Science successful in improving students’ general scientific literacy?

38. 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.

39. How did students respond?

40. 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.

41. Positive aspects identified by teachers (n=40)

42. Challenges identified by teachers (n=40)

43. 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

44. End of year 2 (compared with end of year 1) (n=51)

45. 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

46. 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

47. Evaluation of pilot: practical outcomes • Revised version of course specification from 2006 • Fully revised editions of all course materials • Differentiated textbooks for Science course

48. Twenty First Century Science

49. Suite for 2006 GCSE Additional Science GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics Entry level GCSE Science or GCSE Additional Applied Science For some students For all students For most students For some students OCR’s Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science Single Award Full range GCSE F and H tiers Single Awards Full range GCSEs F and H tiers Single Awards Full range GCSEs F and H tiers

50. 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