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13489 results in Education, history, theory

Page 212 of 675

  • 1.1 - Contemporary issues in teaching and learning science

  • from Part 1 - Theory
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 3-23

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • discuss the diverse roles of science and science education in our society

  • • identify contemporary issues for science education

  • • reflect on the place of science within the wider curriculum.

    • Introduction

    While ostensibly examining contemporary issues in teaching and learning science, in many ways this chapter is really concerned with why we as a society require all of our children to spend so much of their early lives learning about science at school. The reasons are many and complex, and this chapter does not aim to provide a neat and satisfactory answer, but it will provide you with a greater level of insight into the ‘why’ of science education before the book departs more earnestly into matters of ‘how’.

    In search of this insight, the chapter will begin with a brief historical examination of science education and the public understanding of science. This will highlight that science education is, and always has been, about more than just teaching children some ‘stuff about science’. There is a well-known principle developed in modern architecture and industrial design that ‘form follows function’. This principle is also quite apt for describing changing approaches to the design of science education as it is evident that the form in science education, or teaching and learning practices, has indeed followed changes in the function, or goals and purposes, set for it by society.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    A common question heard in many classrooms goes something like, ‘When will I use this when I grow up?’ Given the time and effort we expect children to put into their education, it is the sort of question that deserves an answer with greater meaning than it typically receives, such as, ‘I don't know, but it will be on the next test!’

    Finding reasons to study science is easy – science is increasingly important in our rapidly changing world, meaning that many jobs and many decisions we need to make as a society require an understanding of science; science enables us to understand, manage and shape our natural and made environments, or simply to widen our sense of wonder and curiosity about them; scientific ways of working provide a powerful way to solve problems from the personal to the global level; the list could go on.

  • 1.8 - Technology, electronic media and science education

  • from Part 1 - Theory
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 168-190

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • describe broadly what technology is and how it shapes science and science teaching

  • • recognise the importance of technology integration into science teaching and learning

  • • distinguish between the various roles played by technologies in science learning

  • • develop an understanding of the affordances of different technologies and their applications to diverse learning environments and the various practices of a teacher.

    • Introduction

    The term technology conjures up numerous and diverse notions. For example, its broadest definition relates to the ability of humans to manipulate their environment. In this sense, technology can include activities such as writing and diverse objects such as cars, refrigerators and telephones. This broad view of technology has led, in recent decades, to the advent of technological devices (generally referred to as technology), such as digital technologies and electronic media. These technologies have allowed scientific phenomena to be understood and communicated in ways not previously possible. The development of emerging sciences, such as nanotechnologies, medical technologies and fields of research within astronomy and quantum physics, has been possible due to advances in technologies and their affordances that support scientific reasoning and communication.

    Digital technologies not only have the capacity to shape scientific knowledge and its contribution to shared human capital, but are also diverse in their capacities to influence the ways in which we teach and learn science. Teachers can harness the affordances and varied natures of a range of digital technologies to support their students’ learning of scientific concepts, to develop students’ understanding and appreciation of the Nature of Science, to enhance students’ scientific literacy, and to ensure that science learning is authentic, meaningful and exciting. This chapter begins with an outline of the nature of technology and its influence on science and science teaching. It focuses on the ways in which digital technologies can be used in and beyond the science classroom for teaching and learning science. It draws on a range of examples to highlight the opportunities that different technologies provide for teaching science and the innovative ways in which students can use diverse technologies for learning science, such as that shown in Figure 1.8.1. This photo shows a computer screen with data generated from a research boat's instruments and used by biology students in conjunction with data collected from plankton hauls, sediment grabs and underwater camera footage.

  • 2.5 - Creating a classroom for engagement with scientific thinking, problem solving and real-world contexts

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 300-322

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • improve lesson quality utilising collaborative enhancement based on current scientific knowledge and knowledge of how scientists solve problems, combined with personal and classroom students’ collective knowledge

  • • reflect collaboratively on a teaching lesson using the affect-based critical moment protocol, or other reflection strategies

  • • use an iterated structure to collaborate to improve teaching performance

  • • utilise transferable teaching skills to deliver different types of content in science lessons.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is the ‘mirror’ chapter to Chapter 1.5. It provides practical examples related to the theoretical outlines in Chapter 1.5, designed to improve competence and confidence in teaching and learning science. The first two examples in this chapter have been selected to illustrate processes of collaborative enhancement and reflection based around lesson delivery of a particular aspect of the Australian Curriculum. The second two examples illustrate how to use collaboration in iterative processes and in the development of transferable teaching skills.

    Questions

    Take 10 minutes to consider the following questions related to how this pre-service teacher is using scientific thinking, everyday thinking and problem solving in her classroom. Write in your own words how you might relate the following questions to your classroom teaching.

    1 How is the pre-service teacher using problem solving in her introduction to this lesson?

    2 It is the period after lunch on a hot Friday afternoon. How is she engaging her students?

    3 How is she encouraging students to see science as part of everyday life?

    4 What are some other ideas that you could use to engage this group of students? How would you try to find out what their interests are?

    5 What benefit do you think this pre-service teacher obtained from collaborative enhancement and reflection?

    Collaborative enhancement in practice

    In Chapter 1.5 the term collaborative enhancement was used to refer to collaborations that can be organised and utilised to improve science teaching through enhancement of knowledge about science and how this can be used in the classroom. In this chapter, we show you how this can be done and illustrate some of the experiences that pre-service teachers have had in working with real-world scientists or people who have scientific expertise.

  • 2.9 - Bringing Australia's diversity into science education

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 394-415

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • describe the importance of differentiation in science education

  • • understand how practical approaches to cultural differences can foster students’ different ways of knowing science

  • • recognise the role of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in developing practical approaches to inclusion of disability in science education

  • • explain how families and communities of students of differing socioeconomic statuses can provide quality practical approaches to science learning and teaching

  • • develop practical science learning opportunities for students living in different geographic localities.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is the ‘mirror’ chapter to Chapter 1.9. It provides practical examples related to the theoretical outlines in Chapter 1.9 with a focus on the four different categories of diversity outlined in Chapter 1.9, diversity in cultural background, disability, socioeconomic status and geographic location. Bearing in mind, of course, that students may have diverse needs that cross over more than one of these areas. It is important to note that in a classroom environment every single student has a diverse range of needs.

    The ways in which the diverse needs of students can be catered for when teaching science include:

  • • utilising pedagogies and strategies that enhance science learning, such as the 5Es mode of inquiry (see Chapter 1.3 and Chapter 2.3)

  • • hands-on investigations

  • • problem-based learning

  • • ensuring science lessons are relevant and contextual.

    • Hands-on investigations that allow for students from family backgrounds with low science education or careers in science need to be structured to enhance and support students. Support needs to be provided in the science classroom, such as resources, structure and scaffolding. Group work is another way that students with low confidence or prior experiences with science can learn from one another and increase confidence.

    Problem-based learning requires researching, experimenting and testing solutions to a problem. Using relevant and contextual real problems can increase the confidence of your students to get involved in scientific investigations. You will need to use diagnostic tools to determine your student's prior experiences and background each time you begin a new topic or unit of work. Including parents and the local community can assist in creating meaningful, relevant and contextual learning experiences.

    We all learn differently and there are a number of different ways of learning that need to be catered for within the one classroom.

Teaching Secondary Science
  • Theory and Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Robert Whannell
  • Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017
  • Teaching Secondary Science: Theory and Practice provides a dynamic approach to preparing preservice science teachers for practice. Divided into two parts - theory and practice - the text allows students to first become confident in the theory of teaching science before showing how this theory can be applied to practice through ideas for implementation, such as sample lesson plans. These examples span a variety of age levels and subject areas, allowing preservice teachers to adapt each exercise to suit their needs when they enter the classroom.Each chapter is supported by pedagogical features, including learning objectives, reflections, scenarios, key terms, questions, research topics and further readings. Written by leading science education researchers from universities across Australia, Teaching Secondary Science is a practical resource that will continue to inspire preservice teachers as they move from study into the classroom. This book includes a single-use twelve-month subscription to Cambridge Dynamic Science.

  • 2.2 - Building identity and commitment to the teaching of science

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 236-258

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • describe and apply your own personal life story and the relationship this has to your understanding of identity and your role as a science educator

  • • describe your personal view of your role as a science educator

  • • identify the importance of identity and role of the teacher and student in the process of science education

  • • develop lesson sequences that include techniques and strategies that support the development of an academic identity for students that will enhance their outcomes.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is the ‘mirror’ to Chapter 1.2. In Chapter 1.2 you considered some of the thinking and theory that explained the process of how your identity as a teacher of science develops over time. You were introduced to a number of aspects involved in the process, including identity as a psychological construct, the role, or behaviours that we associate with each of our identities, the importance of the emotional experience of teaching science and how these emotions influence all aspects of the identity-building process. We also highlighted the importance of support from other people. In this chapter we will look at several specific strategies that you might use throughout your teaching career that will allow you to take personal control of your own identity-building process, to ensure that you become the teacher that you want to be. You will commence with a consideration of how your own personal life story has contributed to who you consider yourself to be as a science educator. The importance of aesthetic experiences in teaching will then be examined and will include techniques that will assist you in understanding your experiences. The chapter concludes with a description of a number of techniques that might be used to assist you in developing the academic identity of students.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    Consider the story below where an early career science teacher has been required to teach out-of-field in mathematics, an experience that nearly all teachers of science at the secondary level will be faced with, particularly during their early career. Pauline reflects on how she struggled to use a ‘storied’ teaching approach from her science teaching into maths:

  • 2.6 - Assessing science teaching and learning in the classroom

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 323-347

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • describe the steps involved in writing and returning an assessment task

  • • describe how Bloom's taxonomy may be used to develop assessment items of differing complexity levels

  • • write assessment items at several complexity levels for a given science concept

  • • describe the structure of an open-ended inquiry assessment task

  • • describe the process of writing an assessment rubric.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is the ‘mirror’ to Chapter 1.6, which considered assessment at a relatively high level, and described a number of commonly used approaches to describing assessment, including assessment as/of/for learning and formative and summative assessment. In this chapter we will apply the principles described in Chapter 1.6 to develop a number of illustrative high-quality assessment tasks. Because of the space limitation and the variety of possible assessment task types that may be developed, we will focus on the thinking that underpins the development of assessment. Initially we will consider the development of individual assessment items and then look at writing an open-ended inquiry task. This chapter should provide you with a structured approach to developing any genre of assessment.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    Watch the video Performance-based assessment: Engaging students in chemistry (www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvYSVEmcjHM). This video presents an important consideration when developing summative assessment, namely, the capacity for an assessment task to provide all students with the opportunity to demonstrate the full range of capabilities. This includes students who will struggle to meet the minimum requirements of the task as well as those who will achieve very highly.

    Questions

    1. What does the term assessment mean to you and what do you feel are the main purposes for undertaking assessment in science?

    2. Think of an example of how an assessment task has helped your students. What were the specific characteristics of that task that made it effective?

    3. What approaches have been used by the chemistry teacher to enhance the requirement for higher order thinking/processing in the assessment task?

    4. Considering the approach taken in designing the assessment task, how long do you think it would take for the task to be completed? What problems do you consider might arise due to time considerations?

  • 2.4 - Bringing real-world science into the classroom

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 283-299

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you will be able to:

  • • consolidate personal understanding of the Nature of Science and application to real-world scenarios

  • • demonstrate how inquiry approaches can assist in development of an understanding of working scientifically, scientific knowledge domains and science as a human endeavour

  • • formulate clear understanding of concepts and resolve commonly held alternative conceptions

  • • apply theoretical knowledge to examining real-world scenarios that engage students in teaching science.

    • Introduction

    This ‘mirror’ chapter provides examples for the practical application of learning experiences from Chapter 1.4, designed to enable students to connect scientific principles to real-world scenarios and to develop an understanding of the Nature of Science.

    A scientifically literate person can be described as action-oriented (Rennie, 2006), and displays the following:

  • • is interested in and understands the world around them

  • • engages in the discussions about and of science

  • • identifies questions, investigates and draws evidence-based conclusions

  • • is sceptical and questions claims made about scientific matters

  • • makes informed decisions about their own health and wellbeing and environment.

    • The development of scientific literacy is fostered by integrating explicit, reflective instruction about the Nature of Science together with scientific literacy in traditional science content (Lederman, Lederman & Antink, 2013). Essentially, if you create a range of opportunities for students to practise doing science and reflect on what they are doing (as discussed in Chapter 1.4 and modelled in Figure 1.4.2), their science learning experiences will be richer, more authentic and more meaningful. The question, therefore, is what activities or strategies can you bring into the classroom to engage authentic, real world experiences for your students – while at the same ensuring that all strands of the Australian Curriculum: Science are addressed. For a true reflection of science as a way of learning or the Nature of Science, all strands must be integrated. Figure 2.4.1 depicts the strands of the Australian curriculum as a three dimensions model related to the Nature of Science, which depicts misgivings occurring when an insufficient number of strands is addressed.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    Watch the Youtube clip Awareness test, www.youtube.com/watch?

    v=oSQJP40PcGI.

    Questions

    How did you go with this? Did you need to watch the video again to check the validity of the statement?

    It is often easy to miss the ‘obvious’ if we are not looking for it. The same concept applies when ensuring the Nature of Science is embedded into your teaching.

  • 2.8 - Digital technologies in the science classroom and beyond

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 375-393

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • design a lesson sequence that achieves learning goals by integrating technologies

  • • reflect on the purposes of technology that you integrate into your science teaching

  • • design a sequence of lessons or learning experiences that utilise technologies to extend students’ thinking and reasoning in science

  • • make informed choices regarding the use of technology for curriculum planning, making pedagogical choices and assessing students’ learning.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is a ‘mirror’ chapter to Chapter 1.8. The main goal of this chapter is to provide practical examples to elaborate on and illustrate the applications of the main focus areas of Chapter 1.8. The first two sections in the chapter focus on the different ways in which technologies can be integrated into the science classroom and the advantages that technologies provide for teaching and learning science, in contrast with more traditional approaches. The third section allows you to gain an insight into the use of technologies for extending students’ thinking during inquiry learning. The final section focuses on the ways in which teachers might capitalise on the affordances of technologies and the factors influencing their decisions relating to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Throughout this chapter we have used a combination of specific classroom examples and more generic approaches to allow you to adapt the ideas and strategies to your own teaching context, year level and content area.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    Watch the first two minutes of the video clip How technology has changed my science classroom (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdPJ0jHihSg) in which a year 6 science teacher describes the use of multiple technologies in a science unit.

    Questions

    Take 10 minutes to think about the following questions:

    1 What were the main purposes for which technologies were used (either by students or the teacher) in this science unit?

    2 In what ways did the technologies provide learning opportunities that would not have been possible without technologies?

    3 How has the use of technologies in this science unit made learning more student-centred?

    Integrating technology into science lessons

    In Chapter 1.8, we discussed the ways in which technological change has influenced science teaching and learning and described the opportunities that this provides to teachers. In this chapter, we provide examples of classroom practice to illustrate how and why technologies can enhance the teaching and learning of science.

  • 1.6 - Assessing science teaching and learning

  • from Part 1 - Theory
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 116-140

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • state the principles that support the development of high quality science assessment tasks

  • • compare and contrast summative and formative assessment, giving examples of how each is used in the classroom

  • • state the requirements of the ACARA science syllabus with respect to assessment and reporting

  • • describe the differences between assessment of, as and for learning and give examples of how each would be used

  • • describe common techniques of assessment used in science education

  • • describe techniques for embedding formative assessment in a 5E lesson sequence.

    • Introduction

    Assessment is an integral component of everything that you do as a teacher. The importance of assessment cannot be underestimated. This importance arises due to assessment being the tool that provides feedback to the student, teacher, school administration, and parents and caregivers about the effectiveness of learning and instruction in the classroom. With state and national level assessment, such as Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test, Higher School Certificate (HSC) in New South Wales and National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) nationally, it can be seen that it provides the lens through which classroom activity, student learning and teacher effectiveness are determined.

    By the end of this chapter, you will have a good understanding of assessment as a tool for measuring student performance and, more importantly, as a tool used by the teacher and student to make the classroom a highly effective learning environment. You will also understand the differing requirements relating to assessment and reporting imposed on teachers at the federal and state level. This chapter will present to you some of the theory behind how teachers approach the development of assessment tasks in science. You will be introduced to a number of ideas, including the use of formative assessment, used primarily as a means of informing both the student and teacher about progress and as a means of diagnosing learning challenges, and summative assessment, which will form the basis of measuring and reporting student progress. The opportunity to consider the different roles of assessment as it relates to learning will also be provided.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    Have a look at TedEd talk Formative and summative assessment, ed.ted.com/ on/QwcBdG5t. This is a short talk by Chuck Holland, where he describes a number of different aspects of assessment.

  • 2.7 - Using representations in the science classroom

  • from Part 2 - Practice
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 348-374

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • engage your students and encourage them to think scientifically through the use of student-generated representations

  • • use the resources provided to develop a plan to begin to explore the use of representational reasoning in your classroom

  • • reflect on your questioning in relation to the use of student-generated representations to assess student learning and improve your science teaching

  • • plan a comprehensive unit of work based on incorporating representational reasoning into the 5Es learning model.

    • Introduction

    This chapter is designed to provide practical advice and examples to help you develop your understanding of the ideas discussed in Chapter 1.7. Research into representational reasoning has indicated that this approach is an effective way to engage students in science and develop their understanding of science concepts. Using student-generated representations (SGRs) as a basis for reasoning about science, provides a means for students to build their knowledge and engage in science in a way that emulates the way science works and to appreciate scientific thinking (see Chapter 1.4 and Chapter 2.4 for detail on Nature of Science principles).

    The teacher has an important role to play when student-generated representations are used as a basis for science inquiry and learning. The teacher needs to create a learning environment that values genuine inquiry, where students can make and refine claims, based on evidence, through a respectful discussion of their ideas. The teacher's role changes from a provider of expert knowledge to that of an expert guide. The aim is to plan and develop activities that will enable students to explore relevant problems, questions and/or issues and come to understand the relevant science concepts.

    While acknowledging that the balance of breadth (i.e. covering the content) with depth (i.e. exploring topics deeply) is an ever-present tension, it is argued that the improved quality of student learning and engagement in science makes this approach worthwhile. The Australian Curriculum: Science encourages deep explorations of key concepts, so the onus is upon us as teachers of science to be creative, but purposeful, in planning. The tools provided in this chapter have been designed to support an iterative and responsive approach to planning science teaching.

    You are encouraged to study the examples, adapt them as needed and try these ideas in your class.

  • 1.9 - Celebrating Australia's diversity through science education

  • from Part 1 - Theory
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 191-214

  • Summary

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • consider what diversity might look like in Australian classrooms and why inclusive practices matter in terms of quality science learning and teaching

  • • understand how inclusive practices can foster the different ways of knowing science for students with diverse cultural backgrounds

  • • recognise the role of inclusive practices in supporting students with disabilities in learning science

  • • demonstrate an awareness of how inclusive practices enable students of differing socioeconomic statuses to access science education

  • • highlight the impact of inclusive practices on providing science learning opportunities for students living in different geographic locations.

    • Introduction

    As a term, diversity can mean a variety of things to different people. In this chapter, we intend to draw on a holistic view of diversity. Cultural diversity and disability are commonly focused on when we consider the notion of diversity and are very important differences to acknowledge and address in our classrooms. Diversity, however, is evident in many more ways than just these two areas. In its broadest sense, diversity is about embracing all human differences and as a concept encompasses acceptance and respect. By defining diversity in this way, we hope to support you – future secondary school teachers – in thinking about how to embrace and celebrate your students’ diversities in safe, positive and nurturing ways. For the purposes of this chapter, we have chosen to focus on four main areas: cultural background, disability, socioeconomic status (SES) and geographic location (rural, remote and metropolitan). The rural, remote and metropolitan area (RRMA) classification was developed nationally by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2004), and is still used by the Department of Health when defining geographic location in Australia, with metropolitan locations including capital cities and other urban centres (population greater than 100 000), rural, including large rural centres (population of 25 000 – 99 999), small rural centres (population of 10 000 – 24 999) and other rural centres (population of less than 10 000), and remote centres (population greater than 4999) and other remote areas (with the population of less than 5000).

    While we acknowledge that a range of other differences have a presence in schools, we believe that these four areas of diversity, cultural background, disability, socioeconomic status and geographic location, may be ones that you will come across most commonly in secondary school classrooms.

  • Part 2 - Practice

  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 215-216

  • Summary

    Each chapter in Part 2 contains examples of how the issues discussed in the ‘mirror’ theory chapters from Part 1 can be translated into classroom teaching practice at different year levels. Examples of perspectives illustrated in each chapter focus on, but are not restricted to, the following areas: upper primary (years 5 and 6), lower secondary (years 7 and 8), middle secondary (years 9 and 10) and upper secondary (years 11 and 12).

    The examples chosen from the upper primary area are intended to illustrate strategies that allow the teacher to cater to the diversity of student ability and thinking levels that will be present in many lower secondary classrooms. Due to the absence of a national curriculum for science subjects at the year 11 and 12 level, sample lesson plans for these levels will not include reference to a specific learning outcome. Rather, a general lesson objective will be used.

    A number of exemplars are presented that show how the principles in Part 1 may be applied to the teaching of pre-service teachers. This is an important inclusion for a number of reasons, including as a resource for out-of-field teachers as well as lecturers and tutors in pre-service teacher education. Some of these exemplars will draw on previously published Cambridge resource material (e.g. Dynamic Science), cutting-edge science education projects and other resources relevant to contemporary science practice.

  • Preface

  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp xiii-xiv

  • Summary

    This textbook is targeted primarily at pre-service teachers aiming to teach science in secondary school. It is also contextualised in terms of its relation to science education at upper primary school (years 5 and 6), and accommodates the needs of practicing teachers who are teaching out-of-field or retraining to be science teachers.

    The overall framework views scientific thinking, including problem solving and inquiry, as an essential part of the fabric of our lives. This framework draws on each pre-service teacher's or teacher's knowledge of a world that has been transformed by science, as well as on the thinking processes that we naturally use from a young age. The result is an approach that places the theory of science teaching in a context of changes in theory and practice over the last century, particularly since the internet revolution of the 1990s. The approach also shows that content knowledge can be accessed as needed, rather than through learning vast amounts of information by rote – something very few pre-service teachers may desire to do. The book therefore responds to the big issues of science, which relate to the preparedness of scientists to change their views in light of new information, and how we deal with real-world issues and events, rather than relying on a set of facts.

    The book is presented in two parts, with Part 1 looking at a variety of contemporary issues relevant to teaching and learning science in the Australian classroom. Each of the chapters that comprise Part 1 commences with an initial (brief) outline followed by an examination of the relevant issues and the influence of these issues on science teaching practice in the modern classroom. The focus of each chapter is to provide generic theory-based tools or understandings that can be used in the classroom to improve teaching practice in both upper primary and secondary science teaching.

    Part 1 is designed to be easy to read and approachable, but also to provide reasons for teaching science based in current research. It is intended to encourage collaborative classroom teaching that is based on students and teachers supplementing their own knowledge through access to evidenced studies on pedagogy, collaboration with academics and those who work with science in everyday life, and science teaching resources that encourage engagement.

  • 1.7 - Teaching using student-generated representations in science

  • from Part 1 - Theory
  • Edited by Geoff Woolcott, Southern Cross University, Australia, Robert Whannell, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Teaching Secondary Science
    Published online:
    06 August 2018
    Print publication:
    16 November 2017, pp 141-167

  • Summary

    We dedicate this chapter to the memory of our colleague and fellow author Professor Bruce Waldrip, who was a pioneer in the use of representational reasoning.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • recognise a range of potential ways to represent scientific ideas which you can use with students and recognise the strengths and limitations of each form

  • • develop a strategy to incorporate representational reasoning in your teaching using student-generated representations (SGRs) to explore students’ thinking about a concept

  • • consider how to interact with students, what questioning you might use to promote thinking and encourage reasoning and argument based on evidence

  • • plan to engage your students in generating their own representations of a scientific idea and the evidence you will collect at each phase for formative and summative purposes.

    • Introduction

    The Chief Scientist in Australia emphasised the importance of engaging students in productive science learning for the knowledge economy (Office of the Chief Scientist, 2013) and called for sustainable and equitable support systems to develop teachers’ professional knowledge and capabilities (Chubb, 2014). The number of students who are taking STEM subjects in secondary and tertiary education is declining both worldwide (Marginson et al., 2013) and in Australia (Kennedy et al., 2014). Furthermore, students are being ‘turned off’ science due to their experience in schools, so there is a need to explore how teachers can improve student engagement in science (Keys, 2005 ; Lyons, 2006).

    Acknowledging this situation recognises that teacher professional knowledge and capabilities are at the heart of improving science learning for students. However, we need to be clear about what knowledge and capabilities are pertinent for teaching science and to also be mindful that teaching and learning in a classroom occurs through a complex interaction between students, the resources used and their teacher.

    This chapter examines an approach to teaching science that has emerged from contemporary education research and which aims to address the problem of engaging students’ interest in science by providing more authentic learning experiences that emulate the way science knowledge is generated and how it actually works.

    OPENING VIGNETTE

    The two drawings in Figure 1.7.1 show a student's idea of what she thinks is the difference between the way the particles are arranged in metal and wool.

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