Interesting comment from a great subject leader that he THOUGHT He had a practical science policy, turned out he hadn’t. Some aspects in place but no policy #asechat
If you were building new labs, is there any reason to have fume cupboards near the front as opposed to the back? Can’t think of any, and is more pricey to do front (friend’s school building new labs) #ASEChat
The foundation of science is practical work - yes.
We just spent the lifetime of the last spec not worrying about it, because we didn't need practicals to get good grades (kids - just learn how to find anomalous results & say why fair test is important")
1/2
#asechat
Planned practical Science (= your policy) Expert teachers and technical expertise, take one of these away and its likely the rest won’t happen #asechat 2/2
#ASEchat Interesting point about 'at least half' of lessons should have practical element. Told last week that SLTs is limiting funding as the (misleadingly-named) 'required' practicals are all that is needed!
2/2 so now we need to change that attitude because practicals matter & specs encourage more practicals by just making sure you do some, at least 12 (or how ever many). Hopefully practicals are no longer about manipulating exams grades, but more about learning science #asechat
I also like the match between purposeful practical work (BM 2) and @theASE “Getting Practical” https://t.co/lNJAdDO6bA some tweaks needed but still relevant #asechat
Should primary science have an 'endorsed practical' model via teacher assessment of set practical criteria as part of standard end of year or end of phase assessment? Could work? #ASEChat
#ASEchat Interesting point about 'at least half' of lessons should have practical element. Told last week that SLTs is limiting funding as the (misleadingly-named) 'required' practicals are all that is needed!
Thanks Richard. I think it will take a shift in thinking. There are future teachers who studied the last spec who have little experience of doing GCSE science practicals themselves... hope A levels/university/PGCE, etc. sort that out! #ASEChat
I'm guessing most school have about 1 hour lessons - how often do we trim to get to the relationship between the variables part, and miss all the richness offered by actually doing the practical in full. #asechat
A jointly constructed policy with the team, means that everyone is clear, and it is THEIR policy, I’m sure there is lots of prac work that does not address this purpose #asechat
Hi Linda, we did mail out to as many schools as we could. Apologies if your copy didn’t arrive. Perhaps you could DM with details to send out a copy to?
#ASEchat Interesting point about 'at least half' of lessons should have practical element. Told last week that SLTs is limiting funding as the (misleadingly-named) 'required' practicals are all that is needed!
I think it encourages multiple uses of practical science - posing question, testing hyp., confirming prediction, Certainly I see a need to develop a 'small doses' approach #ASEChat
Think a department needs to think through their practical approach (policy) over yr 7 to 11 and what they want the kids to experience as they progress through the years and through their ability to process (cognition) - perhaps longer investigations as you get older... #asechat
Think a department needs to think through their practical approach (policy) over yr 7 to 11 and what they want the kids to experience as they progress through the years and through their ability to process (cognition) - perhaps longer investigations as you get older... #asechat
The intended curriculum can be taught in multiple ways. Support materials for the enacted curriculum need to be clearer and assessments need to minimise washback. (Easier said than done perhaps but possible) #ASEchat
In reply to
@ViciaScience, @gregtheseal, @DWalkerdine
No. I think the assessment has to be worked out along with what you want to teach. Current 'bolt on ' approach to practice assessment is not good enough #ASEchat
In reply to
@stevethedoc1, @gregtheseal, @DWalkerdine
I agree. There needs to be clarity over the purposes, skills and activities, and how progression is built up. Current haphazard approach is a wasted opportunity #ASEChat
*chucking in a spanner
SLT might not support expenditure and time on the science dept so they can "do more experiments, which are nice and all that, but the kids have exams to get through" #asechat
There is a job to do to educate SLT about the purpose of practical work, but sometimes we don’t do ourselves any favours, be explicit about outcomes #asechat
*chucking in a spanner
SLT might not support expenditure and time on the science dept so they can "do more experiments, which are nice and all that, but the kids have exams to get through" #asechat
There is a job to do to educate SLT about the purpose of practical work, but sometimes we don’t do ourselves any favours, be explicit about outcomes #asechat
*chucking in a spanner
SLT might not support expenditure and time on the science dept so they can "do more experiments, which are nice and all that, but the kids have exams to get through" #asechat
There is a major struggle to convince SLT/ govs that science needs adequate funding in current climate #ASEChat Join a prof assoc and let them exert pressure!
Not necessarily. Generating an upsurge in numbers of students studying science post 16 is even better than good GCSE results and pissed off kids #ASEChat
To get mass change in practice we have to show practical work supports current assessment outcomes. That proof has to be quite significant and secure as well. Anything else is effectively shouting into the wind #ASEchat
There is a major struggle to convince SLT/ govs that science needs adequate funding in current climate #ASEChat Join a prof assoc and let them exert pressure!
Ofsted are important but we cannot wait for this effect to bed in. Need to get started now. @theASE is working on promoting 3 of the benchmarks #ASEChat
To get mass change in practice we have to show practical work supports current assessment outcomes. That proof has to be quite significant and secure as well. Anything else is effectively shouting into the wind #ASEchat
The Good Practical Science report needs to be read and discussed. It could be a major influence on reforming the curriculum. We all agree currently there is too much 'stuff' to teach #ASEchat
As well as 10 benchmarks there are 10 recommendations addressed at Policy makers Ofsted governors, headteachers, teacher trainers, Ofqual, science leaders, government #asechat
Think it would be good to map curriculum content against practical work and see how much content there is that has no potential what so ever to be shown or supported via practical. That is the content that needs to be thought about first. #ASEchat
