www.earthscienceeducation.com
Changing Earth science teachingin UK schools throughin-service teacher training
Susannah Lydon
Chris King
Keele University, UK
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Backgroundhow does Earth science fit in?
Earth science forms part of the 11-16 Science National Curriculum in in England and Wales
About 4% of the science curriculum
Distributed between chemistry and physics(fossil record and evolution in biology)
Taught by chemistry, physics and biology specialists
Most have little or no background in Earth science, or in teaching Earth science
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Backgroundwhat is the teaching like?
Teachers spend around 5% of science teaching time on Earth science (2003-2004)
Because teachers have little background,they tend to lack confidence in teachingEarth science
Most UK science teaching is practical and laboratory based
Levels of practical teaching, and of investigational and field-based teaching,are low for Earth science
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What are we doing about it?
Earth Science Education Unit, based atKeele University
Central team including full-time administrator, and researcher
Team of 49 regional facilitators across UK
Facilitators from a range of Earth science backgrounds
Project funding for 5 years from UK Offshore Operators Association
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Facilitators deliver a range of centrally developed training workshops to teachers
Presented within schools, at meetings and conferences, and at teacher training institutions
Last up to 90 minutes, with up to 25 teachers
Presented singly or several workshops together, during school day or as ‘twilight session’
School or institution requests our workshopsand pays no fee
Training workshops
INSET – in-service training
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11-14 (Key Stage 3)
“Key Stage 3 Double ScienceSc3 Materials and their properties2. Changing materialsGeological changesd) how forces generated by expansion, contraction and the
freezing of water can lead to the physical weathering of rockse) about the formation of rocks by processes that take place
over different timescales, and that the mode of formation determines their texture and the minerals they contain
f) how igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of magma, sedimentary rocks by processes including the deposition of rock fragments or organic material, or as a result of evaporation, and metamorphic rocks by the action of heat and pressure on existing rocks”
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Dynamic Rock Cycle
Introductory activity in pairs or small groups, introducing rock cycle concepts and processesTeachers (in pairs) try out activities demonstrating rock cycle processes in the school science labPairs demonstrate activities to the entire groupFacilitator encourages group to discuss how each activity could be used in their particular teaching context
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Does this approach work?
In 2003-2004:– We visited 47 schools, 20 teacher
meetings and 10 conferences, reaching more than 800 participants
– We made 30 visits to teacher training institutions, attended by more than 900 trainee teachers
– We obtained feedback through post-workshop questionnaires (n=1344)
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42 40
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1 2 3 4 5
“The workshop has improved my Earth science knowledge and understanding”
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
%
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1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
%
“The workshop has given me new ideas for ways of teaching Earth science”
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2 1 2
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1 2 3 4 5 N/A
“The workshop has improved my confidence in teaching Earth science”
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
%
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“The workshop will increase the amount of Earth science practical work I teach”
43 41
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1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
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“The workshop will increase the amount of Earth science investigational work I teach”
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1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
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“The workshop will increase the total amount of Earth science I teach”
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1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Likert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
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“The workshop will increase the amount of Earth science out of doors I teach”(n=234)
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3035
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2 2
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1 2 3 4 5 N/ALikert scale where 1 is strongly agree, 5 is strongly disagree
%
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What did they have to say about the workshop?
Teachers were also asked for short written responses indicating what they had gained from attending the workshop
several categories of response were recognised
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Practicals & Demos
“Seeing things I could do in my lab”
“Examples of activities that I could use in the classroom to illustrate Earth Science Concepts “
“The demonstrations specifically designed for the classroom”
“The practical demonstrations highlighted the variety of ways earth science may be taught in a vivid way”
“The visual links, using real rocks to show the rock cycle. I loved the river system in the drain pipe”
“Spotting rocks in an urban area!”
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How it changed their outlook
“Understanding that it can be practical.”
“Gave me ideas for teaching what can be a 'chalk and talk' subject.”
“Ideas to teach 'dry' topics.”
“The "hands-on" approaches because all too often it is just taught out of books and becomes very boring both for teachers and pupils.”
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How it changed their outlook
“A good insight into appropriate practicals which are possible.”
“The practicals - they were informative especially because i've been told previously that there are few earth science pracs.”
“I am surprised at not knowing about new activities already.”
“Many of the activities were simple enough to use in lessons without major resource implications.”
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How it changed their outlook
“I was made to feel enthusiastic about earth sciences, which I never thought would happen.”
“The imaginative and creative ways to deliver the curriculum, very motivational.”
“…extremely interesting (I'm giving up chemistry for earth science!!!)”
“It made me interested!”
“I won't think rocks are so boring in future.”
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Improved Earth science knowledge and understanding
“An introduction to something I know nothing about”
“…it helped me to understand things visually”
“…able to see how it all links together. Able to identify more rocks…”
“having an expert to explain and clarify things “
“Talking to a geologist who helped me with my misconceptions. (I am self taught - I read geology books)”
“Understanding the differences between igneous and metamorphic rock”
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Improved knowledge ofEarth science teaching
“Discussing details of implementing practical demos of processes”
“It enabled me to see how to demonstrate Earth Science at KS3 & KS4 & A Level”
“Seeing the practical equipment set up and used. It gives me a greater understanding of what I may be asked to provide and why.”
“Application of academic content to a practical presentation”
“I liked the way we thought about implications / strengths / weaknesses of the activities.”
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How it would improve theirEarth science teaching
“good activities will give me much more confidence in classroom ”
“Some good ideas that I will feel more comfortable using in lessons”
“Extra 'facts' and experiments / demo's will help delivery and confidence of delivery of subject.
“The workshop will not increase the total amount of earth science I teach as this is dictated by the school but it will improve the quality of delivery - more demonstrations, more practicals including investigations ”
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How it would improve theirEarth science teaching
“Simple demonstrations and class practicals to help understanding of abstract concepts”
“Hands on demos useful to teach difficult concepts (e.g. folding & faulting”
“Visual activities - activities that make children think for themselves and build knowledge for themselves”
“earth science outdoors linked the rock cycle to processes that the students will be able to observe “
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How it would improve theirEarth science teaching
“Interesting ways to teach rocks, which kids think are boring.”
“Practical activities to stimulate & motivate pupils.”
“The little demo's - increased my interest so will increase pupil interest hopefully!”
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How it would improve theirEarth science teaching
“Very valuable - all you need is just two or three
new ideas to complement prior good practice -
it makes a big difference.”
“Specific links to the national curriculum - best
practice“
“The resources and picking out what the pupils
actually need to know was useful “
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Change in the classroom?
Are good results seen on the day of the workshop translated into action in the classroom?
Follow-up study, involving schools who had participated in rock cycle workshop duringyear from September 2002 - July 2003
Uptake of specific practical activities in the Dynamic Rock Cycle workshop
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Uptake of activities
Getting feedback several months to a year later is a challenge - high teacher turnover, lack of time, lack of willingness
Of the 30 schools who were contacted,16 responded to the request (2 to decline)
All 14 schools that did participate had made changes to classroom teaching in response to the ESEU workshop at their school
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Uptake of individual activities
3 of the 14 schools said that they had used (or planned to introduce) most of the rock cycle activities in the 2003-2004 school year
The other 11 schools were using/introducing some of the activities
Schools were using between 2 and 9 rock cycle activities activities that were new to at least some of the teachers (an average of 5)
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was used by most was used by some now widely used
Activities in use before and after workshop
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Evidence for change
In at least six of the schools, the workshophad prompted staff into producing a new ‘Scheme of Work’ for teaching the rock cycle
Scheme of WorkA official document which sets out how the school plans to teach the National Curriculum. Standard
Schemes are produced but schools are encouraged to adapt them. A Scheme of Work encompasses
long term planning to individual lesson plans
This represents tangible long-term change in classroom teaching, in which ESEU was a factor
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Summary
UK teachers need support in their Earth science teaching
ESEU provide this through training workshops
Workshops are well received by participants, who recognise a range of benefits on the day
Some evidence for change in the classroom
Change includes new Schemes of Work
More work is needed
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supported by:
For further information, please email: [email protected]
EARTH SCIENCEEDUCATION UNIT