-
Developing Science Literacy through NSS Curriculum
-
What science do our students meet?
-
What would students need?Some understanding of major scientific ideas and explanationsSome understanding of science itself
The methods of scientific investigationThe nature of scientific knowledgeHow science and society interrelate
-
Local Situation Prior to the Implementation of New Senior Secondary Curriculum
Rigid Science/Arts Streaming
More Science More Arts
No. of students
-
New Senior Secondary Curriculum
More Science More Arts
Less Science/Arts StreamingBroad and balanced education for students
No. of students
-
The school science curriculum has to do two jobs. It has to provide:
The Key Challenge
Access to basic scientific literacy
The first stages of a training in science
for all for a minority
There is an inherent tension between these aims.
-
World Trend1. UK (Science for all to 16 since 1985)
AS Science for Public Understanding (since 2000 )
21st Century Science (since 2003)
-
2. US Project 2061 - Science for All Americans (1985)
http://www.project2061.org
World Trend
US - National Science Education Standards (1995)
-
3. Netherlands (Science for all since 1999)ANW (Public Understanding of Science for Senior
General Secondary Education)
World Trend
4. AustraliaNSW Senior Science Stage 6 SyllabusQueensland multi-strand, Science 21
-
Promoting of Scientific Literacyin Science Education KLA
Equipping students with scientific understandings and process skills to participate intelligently in public discourse about important issues that involve science, technology and society
Developing in students a scientific habit of mind that help them to deal sensibly with problems, that often involves evidence, quantitative considerations, logical arguments, creativity and uncertainties
Developing students capability for lifelong learning while maintaining their sense of wonder about the world around them
Sci Edu KLA Curriculum Guide (P.3-4)
-
Aims &
Objectives
Knowledgeand
Understanding
Skill
s an
d Pr
oces
sValues and Attitudes
Aims and Objectives of Science Education
-
HK Science EducationCurriculum Framework
-
NSS Science
Holistic Curriculum Developmentin Science Education KLA
Junior ScienceScientific
Process Skills Interest in science
Scientific Thinking
Scientific Knowledge
Values & Attitudes
-
Holistic Curriculum Developmentin Science Education KLA
Start from Junior ScienceSmooth Interface between Junior Science and NSS Science
Progression of Learning Science (S1-3)Promotes interest & curiosityEnhances Scientific thinkingScience process skills & Scientific InvestigationEmphasis on authentic learning experienceCore & extension
-
Authentic learning experiences
-
Promote interest & curiosityNai Chung Field Trip
-
Enhances scientific thinkingStudents proposing their own methods measuring the length of an extraordinary long paper strip
-
Filtration : Filter column competition
Speed?Clarity?
How to carry out a fair test?
Science process skills & knowledgeCritical thinking, creativity, collaboration -
-
Scientific InvestigationEffect of stirring on dissolving
-
Scientific InvestigationInvestigate the factors affecting the falling of a paper spinner
-
Science (S1-3) to observe closely and carefully to classify to measure accurately to handle equipment and apparatus properly and safely to communicate to infer from observations and experimental data to predict to propose hypotheses to interpret data to control variables
CDC Syllabus for Science (S 1-3), p. 13
Process skills & Scientific Investigations
-
Notes jotted down by students during the lessons
Summary of learning contents
Home experiments (5 a year)
Observe an egg in vinegarHome-made indicatorSelf-evaluation on investigations conductedComment on a sample lab report and re-write itInvestigation on a rubber band
Self-study material of the related topics
Reflection: most impressive topics or feelings
To become active learnersLearning Journal
-
Home experiment: Testing household solution by home-made indicator
-
Students Reflection
-
45-55% 20-30% 15-35%
NSS CurriculumNSS Curriculum
*Schools will offer different NSS elective subjects depending on individual schoolscontext and students needs. Some schools may also offer ApL courses and/or other language courses.
4 Core Subjects
Chinese LanguageEnglish Language
MathematicsLiberal Studies
2 or 3 Elective Subjects
2 or 3 subjects chosen from NSS
elective subjects, or from Applied Learning and/or other language
courses
Other Learning ExperiencesMoral and Civic
Education, Community Service, Aesthetic
Development, Physical Development and
Career-related Experiences
Promote all round development and provide diversified learning opportunities
-
Position of Science in Senior Secondary Education
Science for ALL beyond S3 (?)
Science still popular with the more able students (?)
-
NSS Challenges Capacity building of teachers & laboratory techniciansLearner diversity increasesLanguage barrierBreath & Depth of curriculumSBA vs TASCombined Science timetablingLarge class size3-yr study: Student motivationFewer lessonsHKDSE
-
Student
School School OrganisationOrganisation LevelLevel
School Curriculum LevelSchool Curriculum Level
Class / group LevelClass / group Level
Guidance and exemplars provided by C&A Guides, EDB 334 web
Funding and support provided (e.g. staffing, grants, professional development)
Facilities, Physical conditions for appropriate learning environment
Systemic LevelSystemic Level
Wide choice of subjects, ApL courses & OLE Forming a task force to co-ordinate and lead
Devising a Whole-school Policy
Ethos building to value diversity and individual differences, as well as uniformity
Human Resource Deployment:
Strengthen communication with parents on student progress Partnership with community to motivate student participation in a wide range of learning activities and competitions
e.g.
Forming learning support team
A dual class teacher system
Assign a teacher to one level instead of a range of levels
Arrange a teacher to the same class for 3 years
Employ teacher assistants
Pedagogy, Environment and Assessment to motivate learning
Student learning profile to record progress (formative)
Recognise non-academic achievements and participation in report cards
Identify the core and extended / elective parts of the curriculum for different students
KLA / Panels devise plans to cater student diversity
Make adaptation to assessment, e.g. separate core and extended content in the assessment papers, introducing challenging questions in exam
Learn from other teachers by sharing, peer observation, reflection on lessons and student feedback
strategies:e.g. Multi-level activities, co-construction, learning portfolios
Motivation Strategies
Catering for Learner Diversity
Learning & Teaching / Assessment
Timetabling
Professional Development Opportunities
Strategic plan (e.g. 3 yr plan)
Flexible groupingsExtended timetable for
remedial
Developing interdependent, collaborative learning community; celebrating diversity
Enhancement programmesfor more able
Modification, tailoring or differentiation within the subject, OLE
Curriculum Development Institute, EDB, 2007
-
Challenges and Opportunities Science and technology have strong impacts on our society and environment; scientific literacy is essential to every citizen.
NSS Science education emphasises enhancing the scientific literacy of students, and helping them see the relationship between science, technology, society and the environment.
A new curriculum with more diversified subject combinations, allows room for innovation and creativity.
-
Diversified NSS Science Curriculum
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Science
Combined Science
For students with a great interest in science who wish to pursue future studies or work in this field
Integrated Science For students with diverse interests who wish to take elective subjects from different KLAs
-
Integrated Science (S4-6) Science for Citizenship
-
NSS Integrated Science Curriculum
A new NSS curriculum.It aims to arouse students interest and curiosity about the world and help students understand the process by which scientific knowledge is constructed and validated.Adopts a thematic approach and the content is structured around scenarios or issues that students are familiar with
-
How is How is ISIS Different from B/C/P?Different from B/C/P?
For students of diverse interest
Thematic approach based on contexts of daily relevance
A toolkit of ideas and skills which are useful for interpreting, assessing and responding to science issues encountered in everyday life
-
Design of Integrated Science
CE Phy
CE Chem
CE Bio
Integrated Science
Thematic ApproachFor students wishing to takeFor students wishing to take 1 1 elective elective subject in the Science Education KLAsubject in the Science Education KLA
-
+ BAFS + Econ Business Administration, Finance, Law, Journalism
+ Geog + History Anthropology, GPA + PE + HMSC Health management, Sports
Science+ Visual Arts Architecture, Creative Media+ ICT Actuarial Science, IT related fields
Integrated Science
Diversified Subject Combinationsand Pathways
+ Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Combined Science
Forbidden combination
-
-- George Sarton
-
Reasoning / Calculation
Disagree
Confidence in explanation decreases
How science works?
Negative evidence
REAL WORLD (gold foil)
)2/(sin)8(2
cos2
sin4
2csc
2cot
4
||)(
)(
42220
42
2
22
0
2
KrentZN
dr
dK
ZentN
dSdfNparticlesofnumbertotal
dSatdinscatterdparticlesofnumbertheN
ii
i
=
=
=
=
DATA
EXPLANATION
Thomsons Plum Pudding(early 1900s)+
Observation / Experimentation
PREDICTION
Adapted from Giere, R (1991). Understanding Scientific Reasoning (3rd ed.).Fort Worth, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
-
Phenomenon
Change, constancy, evolution and equilibrium
states of being of
Evidence, models & explanation
for expla
ining or
predictin
g
Systems, order & organisation ways to observe &
describe
Form and function
A way to understand how objects operate in the way they do
Unifying Concepts
-
Our planet EarthRadioactivity
Electricity and magnetismForces and motion
Conservation of energyConservation of matter
Biological evolutionHomeostasis and coordination
The gene theory of inheritance
Biodiversity and ecosystems
The chemical basis of life
Materials and their properties
Chemical changeThe atomic world
Scientific attitude
Scientific thinking
Scientific practice
Scientific comm
unity
Syste
ms, o
rder
&or
ganis
ation
Chan
ge, c
onsta
ncy,
evolu
tion &
equil
ibrium
Evide
nce,
mode
ls
& ex
plana
tion
Form
and
func
tion
Unifying Concepts
Nature of Science
Key
Idea
s in
Sci
ence
Curriculum Framework
-
ModulesCompulsory Modules (24 hrs each):
Water for Living ()Balance Within Our Body ()Science in a Sprint ()Chemical Patterns ()Electrical Enlightenment ()Balance in Nature ()Radiation and Us ()From Genes to Life ()
Elective Modules (2 out of 3, 32 hrs each):Energy, Weather and Air Quality ()Keeping Ourselves Healthy ()Chemistry for World Needs ()
-
C3 Science in a Sprint Analysis of motion
SprintingCrouch start & starting block:
Newtons 3rdLaw
Accelerating:Newtons 2nd
Law
Maintaining speed
Stopping:Newtons 1st
Law Momentum &impact force
Measurement & data collection
Handling errorsGraphical treatment+ +
Coordinated muscle contraction allowing movement at joints
Lactic acid accumulation & the repayment of
oxygen debt
Enhancing performance
Forces & motion
++
Processes in the human body
Production of energy from respiration for muscle contraction
-
C2 Balance within Our Body
Homeostasis
Coordinated by
Coordinated by
Example
Balance upset
Example
Balance upset
Hormonal system
Heatstroke, hypothermia
Regulation ofbody temperature
Diabetes mellitus
Regulation ofblood glucose level
Nervous system
P.24
Human manipulation
Moderate exercise Caffeine Alcohol Drug abuse
-
Energy, Weather and Air Quality
Incoming solar energyacts on Earth and its
atmosphere
Pressure
Temp.
Humidity
Environ.
The Weather Machine
Pollutants
Environment
Generation ofenergy
Heat loss
Humans consumption of energy
Control measuresto reduce detrimental
impacts
Short & long termsimpacts
Environ. Health
Transportation & stagnation
of air pollutants
-
NSS Integrated Science Curriculum
Adopts a thematic approach and the content is structured around scenarios or issues that students are familiar with. The thematic approach has also provided an excellent embedding of values and attitudes in the curriculum
Through systematic inquiry, students will develop scientific knowledge and skills that help them make evidence-based judgments and decisions in science-related issues.
Recognised and highly regarded by many curriculum institutions abroad (e.g.University of Cambridge Local Education Syndicate (UCLES) and Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO)).
-
Existing Local Situation
Rigid Arts / Science Streaming
More Arts More Science
No. of students
-
New Senior Secondary Curriculum
More Arts More Science
Less Arts / Science StreamingBroad and balanced education for students
No. of students
-
The NSS curriculum structure is open and flexible.
Students will have greater flexibility in choosing subjects and premature streaming can be avoided.
It offers a diversified science curriculum that allows students to take science subjects of varying depth and breadth according to their aptitudes and interests.
It helps enhance the scientific literacy of our students.
Diversified NSS Science Curriculum
-
Curriculum Emphases of Sci Edu KLA
Nurturing interest in scienceEmphasizing scientific thinkingDeveloping students to become active learners in scienceHelping students to make informed judgementsbased on scientific evidenceCatering for students with strong interest and talent in science.
For Promoting Scientific Literacy
-
Curriculum Aims, Development and Planning in Sci Edu KLA
Providing a facilitating learning environment in school to promote/nurture students interest in science.Providing appropriate learning experiences to students as related to the six strands of Science Education, development of generic skills, and positive values and attitudes (e.g. curiosity, perseverance, respect for evidence)Planning for effective progression in studentslearning in the science curriculum from junior to senior secondary levels.
-
NSS Science Curriculum Generic Skills 3C1P
Communication, creativity, critical thinking & problem solving
Learning to LearnAssessment for Learning Clear learning outcomes
Nature of Science & STSE NOSScientific investigation Informed decisions in societal & environmental issuesScientific attitudes, thinking, practice & community
-
NSS Science :Promoting Science LiteracyPhysics, Biology, Chemistry
+ Combined Science + Integrated Science
Holistic Curriculum Developmentin Science KLA
Junior Science Scientific
Process Skills Interest in science
Scientific Thinking
Scientific Knowledge
Values & Attitudes
-
Thank you