Figure 1.--Some teachers have a way of exciting the students about science. The students at a Catholic school were engrossed in a lesson about insects--even the girls, although perhaps not quite enthusiastically as the boys.
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Figure 1.--Some teachers have a way of exciting the students about science. The students at a Catholic school were engrossed in a lesson about insects--even the girls, although perhaps not quite enthusiastically as the boys. |
One of the most poorly taught subjects in school has traditionally been science. This is less true of technology which is more commonly approached through hands on shop programs. Potenially one of the most interesting subjects is often reported by students as being boring. This is of course quite starting in an age in which science has so afected modern life. Many teachers and schools are attempting to engage the students with new approaches. One of the most promising approaches is inquiry based science instruction. The Ministry of Education has been working on new approaches to sciene education. While substantively it is a well thought out program, we are not sure that it will more effectively engage the interest f the students.
The Ministry of Education published science syllabuses in the mid-1980s.
The Ministry published a new science curriculum in 1993 which has has been
mandatory since 1995. The Ministry published a new technology curriculum in 1995 which has been mandatory since 1999. It was essentially a new addition to the
curriculum, but replaced elements of the intermediate program, workshop craft and parts of the home economics program in in years 7 and 8.
The Ministry reports an entirely new curriculum framework in 1993 which identified seven essential learning areas and eight essential skills to be learned.
The emphasis here was in developing student attitudes and values. The focus was on ‘what students are to know and do’, and not ‘what teachers are to do’.
The science program of course varies substantially depending on the school level. The program in primary schools is very basic. It is designed to convey some basic scientifically principles. This is usually done, but more important at the primasry level is to engage the interest of the children. This is, unfortunately, often not
dome. The science prograsm progressively introduces more sophisticated scientific principles. Science and technology teaching is a maandatory part of the sceience and technology curriculum for years 1 through 10. They are both optional after year 10.
Elective course are available in secondary schools for those students with a serious interest in science. By the last year of secondary school some of the students are involved in a range of sophisticated universty preparatory studies.
We noted a wide range of facilities available for science teaching at different New Zealand schools. Here the principal factors were the level and size of the school. Primary schools do not require sophisticated equipment, but well supplied laboratories are needed at the secondary level. Here the smaller schools are limited in the facilities they can offer while the larger schools can offer well-equipped, specialized facilities.
One of the most poorly taught subjects in school has traditionally been science. Potenially one of the most interesting subjects is often reported by students as being boring. This is of course quite starting in an age in which science has so afected modern life. There wre seem few subjects that could pottentislly draw on so many natural marvels to interest children. In our conversations with the children, however, very commonly they would identify science as the least interesting subject or the subject they most disliked. Science teachers are now rethinking how to approach the students. We are not entirely sure, however, that the problem is in the approach. Surely this is one posibility. And there is no doubt that some teachers are not particularly creative in how they present science. Another factor, however, may well be that science is a difficult subject requiring math and hard work. Some students may simply be unwilling to make the needed commitment. We also wonder about the impact of popular culture in which the most common depiction of science is the md scientist.
Figure 2.--This boy in a private school school is taking an introductory science course. |
Many teachers and schools are attempting to engage the students with new approaches. One of the most promising approaches is inquiry based science instruction. A teacher explains, "Here in New Zealand we are going through a period of education reform and the new science curriculum emphasises the importance of student designed experiments rather than the recipes-based approach of the past. I'm finding students, so used to being spoonfed, are hesistant. Can anyone one offer practical advice on how to ease this transition? [Stephen Harlow] A wide range of inquiry-based science programs have been develoed. Many New Zealand schools by the 1990s were actively implementing them. There are many different system with a range of approasches. Many inquiry based programs emphasize student involvement with extensive "hands-on" learning activities and experients. One approach which has attracted considerabke interest is a discovery approach. Some teachers report success with primary-level children using this approach. Some teachers stress developing process skills. This has been used more commonly with older students at the intermediary and secondary level. All of these approasches should invclude the use use of the scientific method, at increasing level of sophistication as the children develop their skills over the years. The essential goal of these differnt efforts at inquiry based learning is to engage students in the investigative nature of science. A wide range of phemonena can be introduced to students. Depending on the teacher's imagination, some phenomena can be introduced in a spectacular or colorfyl way to capture their interest. The idea is to then persue an inquiry activity to develop and utilize skkills. Children are natuarally curious. A successful inquiry based program will utilize that curiosity to draw the children into the scientific process. Teachers vary widely as to how they engage students in inquiry-based programs. Some teachers want very structured programs. Others are comfortable with much less structure providing fewer instructions to students. Some teachers utilize use heuristic approaches to develop skills. This approach seems less common in New Zealand than some of the other inquiry based programs.
We noticed a wide of activities are conducted in science rooms and laboratories. Younger primary children can do a wide range of activities within the confines of their classrooms. Many teavhers maintain aquarium or terrariums as wll as small animals in their classrooms. A range of interesting projects can utilize these resources. Older children are more likely to conduct their science wirk in a dedicated labiratory. The activity most associated with science is lab work. Here the lab work depends on the branch of science involved. Some work is carrird out outdoors, especially for biology. There is also classroom lecture and discussions as well as the necessary mechanics of aby course work such as reviewing, taking tests,and going over the results.
