Title: Practical work: the essence of school science
1Practical work the essence of school science
John Holman National Science Learning Centre
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3Sputnik 1, Launched by USSR, October 1957
4Practical work survey
- Carried out by the Science Learning Centres as
part of the Getting Practical project with the
Association for Science Education - Published March 2010
- 1339 responses from science teachers and
technicians - Analysis and report by Kirstie Hampson
5Top reasons for doing practical work
- Helping learners to understand scientific
concepts (88) - Making phenomena more real i.e. linking theory to
practice (84) - Helping learners to develop skills e.g.
observation, using equipment (82) - Motivating learners (81)
- Helping learners to develop understanding of
scientific enquiry (80)
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7Percentage of teachers undertaking practical work
for more than 40 of teaching time
-
- Key Stage 3 63
- Key Stage 4 43
- Post 16 28
8What factors hinder you from undertaking
practical work?
- Curriculum pressure i.e. curriculum too full
(69) - Curriculum pressure i.e. assessment demands too
frequent (41) - Poor learner behaviour (29)
- Lack of funding for or availability of suitable
equipment (25 and 20 respectively) - Lack of time to research suitable ideas for
practical work (21) - Health and safety (lt10)
9Pressure from timetabling and results precludes
practicals unless they are directly related to
coursework
10Factors contributing to effective practical work
- The availability of quality equipment and good
laboratory layout (33) - Learner engagement and good behaviour (23)
- Time to plan and prepare beforehand and time to
carry out the work (21) - Support from technicians and teaching assistants
(20) - Clear purpose for the practical, strong links to
theory and relevance to the topic or curriculum
(20)
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12What additional support would make your practical
work more effective?
- Smaller class sizes (67)
- More time for planning (57)
- A less content-heavy curriculum (43)
- Easy access to new ideas (43)
- More technicians and teaching assistants (19)
13Can I make a plea for better pay and conditions
for technicians so we can keep them?
Teacher Respondent
14Professional development in practical work
- 45 of respondents wanted more CPD
- 30 specify CPD relating to subject knowledge
- 15 specify CPD relating to classroom management
15For a good overview of the purposes of practical
work in school science
- Robin Millar, for the US National Academy of
Science Millar, R. (2004). The role of
practical work in the teaching and learning of
science - Available at http//www7.nationalacademies.org/b
ose/Millar_draftpaper_Jun_04.pdf
16Science without practical work is like literature
without books
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18Science Learning Centres survey on dissection
- Published Summer 2009
- Responses from 242 institutions
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21Science Learning Centres survey on dissection
- 95 of institutions do some form of dissection
- - KS3 79
- - KS4 94
- - Post 16 91
- Only 19 of institutions do whole animal
dissection - Two thirds of respondents feel they do not do
enough dissection
22How the worlds best-performing school systems
come out on top McKinsey, September 2007
- Above all, the top performing systems
demonstrate that the quality of an education
system depends ultimately on the quality of its
teachers
23Future challenges
- Trend to shorter lessons and compartmentalised
curricula - militates against longer learning
experiences - Keeping up with developments in modern biology
- Pressures from exams and rarely cover on field
work and CPD - Economic pressures, leading to reductions in
technicians, staffing and equipment budgets and
increase in class sizes.