In learning science, pupils are informed of medical treatments are so in the future can make reasoned choices which will affect them and their loved ones. Looking at one subject in particular, one that has been in and out of the news to varying degrees over the past ten years is the MMR vaccination. Vaccinations and MMR are taught as part of current syllabi. If pupils were taught in 1990, what they are taught now, would there have been such hype and controversy over the issue? Personally, I don’t think so. Goldacre (2008) supports this view in that the media hype surrounding the MMR scare would have been much less regarded as scientifically accurate if people were to have followed the advice of the Royal Colleges, the Institute of Medicine or the NHS, all three of which came out in full support of the vaccine. This would have been easier for people to accept if there was a higher degree of scientific literacy.
By learning science, pupils are given the opportunity to develop their communication skills. They are able to communicate their ideas with clarity and precision and have to learn to take into account the views of other people, even if they don’t necessarily agree with them. Science teaches people to evaluate their own practices and methods, to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data and draw conclusions from what they study. Patch 2 shows this view has been me throughout my own learning and is one of the mainstays of my science education – they are the skills I was taught during my schooling and I have held onto them, developed them and used them ever since. One thing that stood out during the recent recession was the drive to turn unemployed city bankers to science teaching. With the skills learned in science, would it not be better for someone to be taught science and become a banker?
Looking at recent statistics, (Prospects, 2008), 22.6% of science graduates entered a profession non-science related, with 11.6% entering at managerial status or higher. This is encouraging and meets the Every Child Matters (DCSF, 2008) outcome of using science skills in occupations other than a science based role. It is important for pupils to develop and understanding that many occupations require an application of scientific understanding and skills and that being taught science is the best way for this to come about.
Millar and Osborne (1998), point to that scientific developments ‘permeate’ almost all aspects of everyday life. How then, are we to maintain and progress in society if we are not educated to do so. Davies (2004) says that to ‘tinker with a car’ requires no scientific knowledge, but she seems to forget that science, that is the thinking, the testing and development of an idea brought about the internal combustion engine and continues in it’s development to this day. Does the mechanic not need, even at a basic level an awareness of for example, how hydraulic systems control steering and brakes?
Having looked at why science should be a part of the curriculum, we need to look at how to teach it effectively. There are many principles which underpin how to teach science but for the purposes of this essay, I will draw on those which I believe are most effective and which have taken part in my own learning.
From Patch 2, I am able to say that my own learning of science was underpinned by Bruner’s spiral curriculum and I still believe this to be a major principle used in today’s teaching. Pupils cannot be thrust in at the deep end and expected to know how heat is transferred through a material unless they first know what that material is composed of, and so must be informed of the particle model. Teachers must impart knowledge and allow this to be understood before returning with increasing complexity at a later stage. As Bruner states, “A spiral arrangement of the subject matter allows an extension of each topic and periodic revision of what has already been taught”. (Bruner, 1977, p.52).
The spiral curriculum forms part of the ‘constructivist’ view of learning, a key principle of effective science teaching. Another part of the constructivism which I believe to be important in the learning of science is that of social constructivism, in that pupils are encouraged to learn from each other in group situations, more so than in a purely teacher led learning environment. This is referred to as collaborative elaboration (Van Meter & Stevens, 2000) and the end result is that the learners are able to put together an understanding of an abstract idea which would not be possible if the pupils worked individually (Greeno, et al., 1996). I have found myself that this strategy is well suited to science, especially when working with lower ability classes and I have drawn on this during my lesson planning and evaluations.
Briefly drawing on Patch 4, I believe it is extremely important that science is taught in other environments other that the classroom. Pupils need to see science in context, and an out of school experience enables pupils to experience ‘How Science Works’. It also prevents pupils becoming bored. Towards the end of my SE2 experience I realised that just getting pupils outside when looking at food chains really changed their attitude and there was more engagement than I would have expected from being indoors.
Linking with these ideas of increasing interest and engagement, but in the classroom, is the role of practical work. Practical work is an invaluable aid in the classroom and it is widely accepted that good quality practical work promotes the engagement and interest of students as well as developing a sound scientific knowledge and aiding a pupil’s conceptual understanding of the subject. During my teaching I found that during practical work, even if it did not seem as if the pupils were on task and there were no real gains, afterwards, pupils were eager to answer my questioning, explain what they were doing, what they though was happing and why. The Royal Society (2008) says, ‘’Good quality practical work helps develop pupils' understanding of scientific processes and concepts, and is high on the list of what pupils enjoy about science, promoting engagement and achievement” I have found these views to be true in my own learning and from what I have observed when teaching.
Scientific misconceptions play an important role; if a misconception is held by a pupil and is allowed to go unchallenged then that misconception is likely to affect pupils understanding and further learning. How can a pupil build on the knowledge they have if the foundation is already crumbling? To teach science effectively, a teacher needs to ensure that there is solid learning and understanding.
All of these points link into the cognitive ability of the pupils and how we as teachers address that. We must recognise that the very nature of science is an abstract and children, especially those of a lower ability are unable to think in an abstract manner. Differentiation is key and by using this tool, teachers are able to address different levels of cognitive ability in the same lesson. Constructivism, the spiral curriculum, the use of practical work and variety also come into play as they provide avenues for engagement and bases to work from.
From my teaching experience, if there is no engagement, there is no learning. Above all, in my teaching, I want to continue to use these principles, and the countless others which I have been unable to mention, to continue to be the best teacher I can.
References
Bruner, J. (1977) The Process of Education. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press
Davies, C. (2004) Why should children have to learn science? The Social Affairs Unit (accessed 18/05/2010)
http://www.socialaffairsunit.org.uk/blog/archives/000166.php
Goldacre, B. (2008) The Media’s MMR Hoax. Bad Science, (273-314) HarperCollingPublishers, Oxfordshire
Greeno, J,G.; Collins, A, M., Resnick, L,B. (1996) Cognition and learning. The Handbook of Educational Psychology p15 - 46
Millar, R. and Osborne, J. (1998) Beyond 2000: Science education for the future. Kings College, London
Van Meter, P. and Stevens, R, J. (2000) The Role of Theory in the Study of Peer Collaboration. The Journal of Experimental Education. 69 (1) p113 – 127 New York
Every Child Matters Outcomes (2008) (accessed 17/05/2010)
The Royal Society, SCOPE, Practical Science (2008) (accessed 17/05/2010)
What do graduates do? (2008) Prospects
(accessed 17/05/2010)
