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

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

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What students said about the old science
curriculum

• A lot of the stuff is irrelevant. Youre just
  going to go away from school and youre never
  going to think about it again.
• It doesnt mean anything to me. Im never going
  to use that. Its never going to come into
  anything, its just boring.
• Its 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 Kings College.
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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

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The key challenge

• The school science curriculum has to do two jobs.
• It has to provide

• There is an inherent tension between these aims.

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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).
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But this is just what puts many students off

• .. In science, theres one answer and youve
  got to learn it. ... You just have to accept the
  facts, dont you? ... Its just not as creative
  as English.
• In art and drama you can choose, like whether
  youre going to do it this way or that way, and
  how youre going to go about it, whereas in
  science theres just one way

From Osborne, J. and Collins, S. (2000).
Pupils and Parents Views of the School Science
Curriculum.
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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.
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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?

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The Twenty First Century Science two sciences
model
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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

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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.

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Suite for 2006 onwards
GCSE Additional Science
GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics
Entry level
GCSE Science
or
GCSE Additional Applied Science
For all students
For most students
For some students
For some students
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
OCRs Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science
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GCSE ScienceWhat 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

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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

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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.
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What science do we meet every day?
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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

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Putting it all together

• GCSE Science
• - modules on topics of interest to students

Teaching is through issues and contexts but
durable learning is of Science Explanations and
Ideas about Science.
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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

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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

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GCSE Science Scientific literacy in context
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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

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GCSE Science So whats 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

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C21 Suite for 2006 onwards
GCSE Additional Science
GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics
Entry level
GCSE Science
or
GCSE Additional Applied Science
For all students
For most students
For some students
For some students
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
OCRs Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science
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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

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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

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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

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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

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What did pilot teachers say?

• Its 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 youve got your head round it its great
  not to be doing Sc1!
• The greatest challenge has been extracting the
  most appropriate activities from all those
  offered its great when somebody prepares lots
  of materials for you to teach!

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ICT resources

• Integrated ICT resources
• scheme of work
• video clips
• animations
• PowerPoint slides

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Support

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

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Websites

• General information www.21stcenturyscience.org
• Publications from OUP www.twentyfirstcenturyscien
  ce.org
• Specifications, assessment and training
  www.ocr.org.uk

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C21 Project contacts

• Contact at York C21 Project administrator
  Geraldine Collins uyseg-c21_at_york.ac.uk
• Contact at Nuffield Sarah Codrington
  scodrington_at_nuffieldfoundation.org