Trust Projects

How Science Works @ KS3 - South Lakes Federation, Cumbria (Cluster Project)

UK Science teachers have been working within a ‘How Science Works’ framework at Key Stage 4 since September 2006. The changes to the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 will require a further shift in practice if the true spirit of How Science Works is going to have a significant impact on levels of pupil interest in science.

Through this project teachers will be supported in identifying the areas of How Science Works with which they are least familiar and then offer high quality training to support a significant increase in levels of expertise and confidence. A research project running alongside both the needs analysis and the CDP events will help to inform the future direction of the project and ensure that the training serves its purpose effectively.

 

Overview

Science teachers from within the South Lakes Federation of 8 secondary schools have already participated in a training event where the aim was to develop curriculum materials linked to How Science Works in Year 7. The event demonstrated that there was enormous variability in expertise and confidence amongst the teachers working in the schools involved in the project. As a result the Federation has developed a self audit tool for How Science Works This tool will also identify who needs training, which areas of How Science Works need to be addressed and where expertise lies within the federation. Whilst the SNS provides a strategic overview of curriculum development, this project is targeted directly at individual Science teachers working with Key Stage 3 pupils. Each CPD event will focus on the emerging practice of the teacher with respect to How Science Works activities and will support them in developing a sequence of lessons that they will then deliver. The Federation also plans to support the implementation of the programme by making teacher support and observation available during the period when the critical How Science Works elements are delivered in the classroom.

The project is timely not only because of the imminent introduction of the changes to the key stage 3 National Curriculum, but also because of the variability in expertise and confidence amongst the teachers working in the schools involved. The involvement of the newly established University of Cumbria as a key partner in the delivery of high quality CPD for existing teachers may also prove pivotal in terms of the developing profile of the University within Cumbria.

 

Aims

Aims and related Outcomes

Aim One

To develop an audit tool that supports teachers in identifying their level of expertise with respect to the different elements of How Science Works

Intended Outcomes
• How Science Works Audit tool is already written
• Audit tool will be used to identify both high levels of expertise and staff with areas of pedagogy requiring further development

Aim Two

Use the audit to identify small teams of teachers who have high levels of expertise with respect to a particular element of How Science Works, pool resources and ideas within the group and develop CPD activities that will support less confident staff

Intended Outcome
• A small group of expert teachers develop CPD activities to be delivered to staff with a self-identified need in that area. Each CPD activity will then comprise one full days training followed by support/observation during the delivery of the related session to pupils

Aim Three

Deliver the CPD activities to staff within the Federation

Intended Outcomes
• Training supports increased levels of understanding the underlying pedagogy and confidence in its delivery
• Following the training, each teacher adapts their teaching to reflect the training focus, plans delivery of a relevant How Science Works activity and is supported/observed delivering the activity to pupils
• Feedback from the participating teacher, the observer and the pupils is collated to form evidence for the research project

Aim Four

Carry out a research project to evaluate the impact of the project on both teachers and their pupils

Intended Outcomes
• Impact of training on practice and confidence evaluated
• Impact of How Science Works activities on pupils evaluate

Aim Five

Enhance the science curriculum in Federation schools by developing the profile of How Science Works in Key Stage 3 lessons and setting activities in the local context

Intended Outcome
• Year 7 Schemes of Work audited by nominated staff within each department, successful ‘How Science Works’ activities shared across the federation

Aim Six

Increase opportunities for pupils to engage with science outside the classroom in a local context

Intended Outcome
• Opportunities for local visits identified, pupils visit, impact of visits on pupils evaluated

Aim Seven

Help pupils to develop their understanding of the applications of science in local, national and global contexts

Intended Outcome
• Increased levels of engagement through the development of innovative applications of science that, for example, are of particular interest to girls.
 

Programme

Structure of the project (2008-09):

Sept – Nov: Experts identified and CPD projects developed

Nov – Jan: CPD delivered to staff who have identified weakness within chosen pilot study area, impact of CPD evaluated

Feb – May: How Science Works classroom activities delivered and observed

Jun – Aug: Impact of training evaluated
 

Evaluation

Success criteria

  1. Small teams of staff are identified as experts in one How Science Works strand.
  2. 6 training activities developed and delivered by the experts.
  3. 16 staff audit their How Science Works confidence and expertise.
  4. 16 teachers trained and observed delivering How Science Works activities.
  5. 2 school visits take place involving 60 pupils in total.
  6. Research data from all activities analysed and findings reported.

 

Additional

Dissemination

Participating staff from each department identified; they then complete self-audit. More experienced teachers form six panels of experts.

Sept – Nov 2008: Six panels of experts identified to develop the CPD activities linked to six How Science Works sub-strands:

  1. Explanations, arguments and decisions: developing explanations using ideas and models
  2. Explanations, arguments and decisions: challenge and collaboration in the development of explanations
  3. Explanations, arguments and decisions: developing argument
  4. Applications, implications and cultural understanding
  5. Communication for audience and with purpose
  6. Practical and enquiry skills (planning an investigative approach; selecting and managing variables; assessing risk and working safely; obtaining and presenting primary evidence; working critically with evidence).Nov – Jan. Staff attend a training session targeted on their area of personal focus.

 

Nov 08 – Jan 09: Staff attend a training session targeted on their area of personal focus.

Feb – May 09: Staff deliver lesson(s) based on their area of focus. Where appropriate and relevant this should include a local visit with pupils to see the science in context. One lesson to be supported/observed.

Jun – Aug 09: Data generated by observation and completion of feedback collated and report written.