Twenty First Century Science overview: A flexible suite of courses to meet the needs and aspirations of all students

2 What’s the problem?  What are we teaching science for? – Only a small minority of students will go on to become scientists – … or do a job requiring extensive scientific knowledge – All need the kind of understanding that might help you to make choices and decisions in everyday situations involving science and technology

3 What students said about the old science curriculum  A lot of the stuff is irrelevant. You’re just going to go away from school and you’re never going to think about it again.  It doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m never going to use that. It’s never going to come into anything, it’s just boring.  It’s all crammed in … You catch bits of it, then it gets confusing, then you put the wrong bits together … [From: Osborne, J. and Collins, S. (2000). Pupils’ and Parents’ Views of the School Science Curriculum. London: King’s College.]

4 The result of the old science curriculum  Falling numbers of students choosing science post-16 – Students vote with their feet  Declining interest in school science throughout secondary years – Increasingly negative attitudes to science  Many leave science at 16 feeling they have gained little from 11 years studying science

5  The school science curriculum has to do two jobs. It has to provide: The key challenge Access to basic scientific literacy The first stages of a training in science for allfor a minority  There is an inherent tension between these aims.

6 Are these two jobs really so different? ‘ it is romantic nonsense to imagine that potential science specialists can learn all the science they need without a lot of routine learning and practice, along with indoctrination into traditional ways of thinking.’ (Collins, H. (2000). Studies in Science Education, 35, 171).

7 But this is just what puts many students off .. [In science], there’s one answer and you’ve got to learn it.... You just have to accept the facts, don’t you?... It’s just not as creative as English.  In art and drama you can choose, like whether you’re going to do it this way or that way, and how you’re going to go about it, whereas in science there’s just one way [From: Osborne, J. and Collins, S. (2000). Pupils’ and Parents’ Views of the School Science Curriculum. ]

8 Instead we should cater for the majority ‘The most fundamental error in the traditional GCE/A level system was that each stage was designed to be suited to those who were going on to the next. … The other view, which seems to be held in every other advanced country, is that each stage of education should be designed for the main body of those who take it.’ Department of Education and Science and Welsh Office (1988). Advancing A Levels (Higginson Report), para. 8. London: HMSO.

9 Beyond 2000 report  “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 future specialists?

10 The Twenty First Century Science: two sciences model GCSE Science 10% curriculum time Emphasis on scientific literacy (the science everyone needs to know) for all students (1 GCSE) GCSE Additional Science 10% curriculum time or GCSE Additional Applied Science 10% curriculum time for many students (1 GCSE)

Testing the model  Pilot study to test this model commissioned by QCA – following extensive consultation  Piloted in 78 schools from 2003  Teaching materials developed by Twenty First Century Science project  Extensively revised for use from 2006 – when all GCSE Science courses will have a ‘core plus additional’ structure

12 Benefits of a core + additional model  Better able to meet a range of student needs and interests.  Emphasises that there is a core of science which everyone needs.  Different aims require different content, emphasis and approach.  Separating the aims into separate courses means each can be designed ‘fit for purpose’.  Separating them also makes it easier for students to change their minds at a later date.

13 Suite for 2006 onwards Entry levelGCSE Science GCSE Additional Science GCSE Additional Applied Science GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics or 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 For all studentsFor most studentsFor some students OCR’s Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science

14 GCSE Science: What is it like?  ‘Science for all’  Engages with contemporary scientific issues: – relevant and stimulating for students  Aims to provide the science knowledge you need: – to appreciate what the issue is about – to evaluate what people say about it – to reach your own view and be able to discuss it with others

15 Scientific literacy  a ‘toolkit’ of ideas and skills which are useful for accessing, interpreting and responding to science, as we encounter it in everyday life

16 A key difference Scientists – producers of scientific knowledge All of us – consumers of scientific knowledge The aim is to help students become better informed and more discerning consumers of scientific information.

17 What science do we meet every day?

18 What do you need to deal with this?  Some understanding of major scientific ideas and explanations  Some understanding of science itself: – the methods of scientific enquiry – the nature of scientific knowledge – how science and society inter- relate

19 Teaching is through issues and contexts; but ‘durable’ learning is of Science Explanations and Ideas about Science. GCSE Science: - modules on topics of interest to students Ideas about Science (How science works) Science Explanations (Breadth of study) Putting it all together

20 GCSE Science: Science Explanations  The ‘big ideas’ of science  Tools for thinking  What matters is a broad grasp of major ideas and explanations, not disconnected details  For example: – The idea of a ‘chemical reaction’: rearrangement of atoms; nothing created or destroyed – The ‘radiation model’ of interactions at a distance – The gene theory of inheritance – The idea of evolution by natural selection

21 GCSE Science: Ideas about Science (how science works)  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

22 GCSE Science: Scientific literacy in context Science Explanations Modules Ideas about Science etc.

23 GCSE Science modules: integrating Ideas about Science (how science works) and Science Explanations  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  Each module 12 hours teaching time  Leaves time for coursework to be done where you feel appropriate

24 GCSE Science: So what’s different?  Some new content: – risk – evaluating claims about correlations and risk factors – clinical trials  Emphasis on Ideas about Science  Much is familiar: – whole class, small group and individual work; practical work  More opportunities to talk, discuss, analyse, and develop arguments: – about science – and about its applications and implications

25 C21 Suite for 2006 onwards Entry levelGCSE Science GCSE Additional Science GCSE Additional Applied Science GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics or 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 For all studentsFor most studentsFor some students OCR’s Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science

26 Additional Science  Sound introduction to the scientific concepts that are essential for further study  Emphasis on models and explanations  Insight into how scientists think and reason  Full GCSE A*-G  Progression to all science AS courses

27 Additional Science modules  Nine modules  12-hour teaching blocks – 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

28 Additional Applied Science  Based on engaging and authentic contemporary contexts where science is applied  Insights into work that involves scientific knowledge or skills  Opportunities for extended practical problem-solving  Manageable portfolio  Full GCSE A*-G  Progression to vocational and some science AS courses

29 Additional Applied modules  Three modules (chosen from the six provided)  36-hour teaching blocks – Life care B – Agriculture and food B – Scientific detection C – Harnessing chemicals C – Materials and performance C/P – Communications P

30 What did pilot teachers say?  “It’s what I feel I should be teaching.”  “Our Year 11 students are feeling increasingly positive about science.”  “The most stimulating, exciting and rewarding time I have experienced in teaching.”  “The coursework is different, but students enjoy it. Once you’ve got your head round it it’s great not to be doing Sc1!”  “The greatest challenge has been extracting the most appropriate activities from all those offered – it’s great when somebody prepares lots of materials for you to teach!”

31 ICT resources  Integrated ICT resources – scheme of work – video clips – animations – PowerPoint slides

32 Support  From University of York Science Education Group and the Nuffield Curriculum Centre – Someone at the end of the telephone / – Website  School clusters – and Regional Support Officers  Training – Residential and one-day sessions

33 Websites  General information:  Publications from OUP:  Specifications, assessment and training:

34 C21 Project contacts  Contact at York: C21 Project administrator: Geraldine Collins  Contact at Nuffield: Sarah Codrington