Trust Projects

Primary Science Advisory Services (Cluster Project)

Cool Science: Improving transition and attitudes towards science through the use of contemporary contexts - Primary Science Advisory Services (PSAS)

Children's attitudes towards science and scientists are formed at an early age and become increasingly difficult to change as they grow older. Recent reports have shown that primary pupils' attitudes towards science have deteriorated at Key Stage 3.

UPD8 (see www.upd8.org.uk) is the first constantly updated resource which enables primary and secondary teachers to introduce contemporary science into their curriculum. This project will provide training for teachers in the use of this resource to introduce contemporary science into the classroom. Once trained teachers will participate in classroom based research to ascertain how the use of such materials has changed children's perceptions of and attitudes towards scientists and the work they do. The project will also help strengthen understanding of transition by investigating how the use of similar contemporary and topical science contexts at both Key Stages 2 and 3 can provide continuity and develop similar skills. The 'buddy' system will be used to link primary and secondary teachers involved in the project.

Aims

The principal objectives are:

  • to engage primary and secondary children in the discussion of contemporary science issues;
  • to investigate the benefits of this approach for continuity and progression across the KS2/3 boundary;
  • to provide training for 40 primary (4x5pairs) and 20 secondary teachers (4x5) in the use of upd8 (an on-line contemporary science resource) in the classroom;
  • to equip pilot group teachers with the necessary understanding of the relevant science to use the resources in an informed way;
  • to enable these teachers to take part in an action research programme aimed at finding out the extent to which these resources influence children's attitudes towards scientists and scientific activity across the KS2/3 boundary;
  • to evaluate the resources in terms of their impact so that their impact can be maximised;
  • to inform and influence science teachers, trainers and policy makers so that science for public understanding and contemporary science become incorporated into the Key Stage 2 and 3 curricula.

Programme

Outline summary of activities/programme:

  • There will be four pilot groups, each consisting of 10 primaries (two from each of 5 schools) and 5 secondary teachers. This will consist of an initial half-day training on the use of UPD8 on-line resources for topics such as:
    • Can science prevent famine? - investigating crop production;
    • War of the worlds - viral infection of an alien population;
    • Evolution accolade - adaptation in populations;
    • Can cloning save species? - what are clones and how might cloning be useful/harmful.
  • Primary and secondary teachers will be linked and encouraged to work in a buddy system. Teachers will administer a questionnaire to investigate children's' attitudes towards science and scientists. They will then use the resources described above over a period of a few weeks and administer a second questionnaire to evaluate the impact of the materials on attitudes. The research tools will be developed with the advice and support of an experienced HE educational researcher.
  • Teachers will return questionnaires for analysis and then meet with project team for feedback which will include their anecdotal evidence on the use of the resources across key stages and any changes in pupils' attitudes. Teachers will contribute directly to the formulation of findings. They will also participate in cross-phase discussion of the benefits of this approach for transition.

Outcomes

This project will:

  • equip a pilot group of Key Stage 2 and key Stage 3 teachers to use UPD8 to introduce contemporary science issues in the classroom;
  • engage teachers and children in the discussion of discuss contemporary scientific issues and the part scientists can play in addressing them;
  • use the services of Local Authorities or Science Learning Centres to cascade this to other teachers;
  • provide some basic training for teachers in 'action research';
  • gain useful information about how the primary and Key Stage 3 science curricula might be modified to include contemporary scientific issues and further public understanding of science;
  • use pre and post questionnaires to investigate children's attitudes towards science and scientists;
  • disseminate these findings to teachers, trainers and policy makers so as to encourage the inclusion of contemporary scientific contexts in the science curriculum;
  • improve primary/secondary transition by encouraging the use of similar contemporary contexts and discussion skills.

Contact

Bob Ponchaud - bob.ponchaud@edcon-ltd.co.uk