NSS Chemistry Curriculumand Combined ScienceRaymond FONGScience Education Section, EDB10 June 2006

Presentation OutlineKey aspects of NSS Chemistry curriculum developmentFeatures of NSS Combined Science Curriculum Chemistry PartCurriculum Planning

Consultation ProcessBenchmarking by oversea agents:UCIE, University of Cambridge, UKInternational Baccalaureate Organization (via UCIE)Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, University of Waikato, NZQuestionnaires from secondary schools (n>400)Focus group meetings / School visits / Telephone conversation / Emails /

General Remarks from UCIEBroadly equivalent to UK 14-19at least the standard of AS syllabus and the IBO core syllabusCurriculum: exciting and relevant, thoughtful workLOO, SLTA, VA commendable, extremely useful guidanceHigh quality exemplar materials and suggestions to teaching styles & strategies

General Remarks from WMIERCurriculum: incorporate fundamental chemical principles and concepts & skills appropriate at this levelOverall structure lacks coherency & difficult to interpret, suggest to include overall teaching sequences over three year period

Results of QuestionnairesAims & Rationale: 97.7% SA/ALevel of difficulty: 88.7% SA/ABreadth & depth: 87.2% SA/ARelevancy of content: 81.0% SA/AFlexibility: 57.0% SA/A, 26.3% D/SD, 16.6% No opinion

Results of QuestionnairesSequence & flow: 88.5% SA/A Balance of foundation & specialised learning: 83.1% SA/ABalance of K/S/A.: 82.3% SA/ALearning to learn: 72.4% SA/A

Concern & ResponseConcern: Coherency & SequenceReview: Do local school teachers have concerns on the issue raised by WMiER?Chapter 3 of C/A guide has provided an explicit sequence for the latent topic like moleTextbooks, resource materials by CDI and PD (Understanding and Interpreting) should help Response: Design charts / flow diagrams etc and overview to facilitate stakeholders to develop understanding about the curriculum, e.g. possible teaching sequences over the 3-year period

Concern & ResponseConcern: Flexibility of curriculum for students with different needsReview: Certain flexibility already implemented in the curriculumResponse: provide suggestions to facilitate teachers develop a flexible curriculum for students provide suggestions to teachers on how to cater differences at learning and teaching provide PD opportunities for teachers to enhance their knowledge and skills in understanding the curriculum and how to deal with learning differencesto include diverse assessment items / to devise alternative assessment arrangements

Concern & ResponseConcern: More emphasis on generic skills / transferrable skills / core skillsReview: these skills have been included in numerous SLTA & Investigative Study in ChemistryResponse: Explicitly put forward the need to address these skills in chapter 1, and suggestions with examples to illustrate how to foster generic skills with different learning and teaching activities in chapter 4

Concern & ResponseConcern: Relation of content required and teaching time availableReview and response: closely re-examine each section of the framework to review time required for essential learning activities with due regard to diverse population (on-going)

Ways forwardTo revise the C/A Guide for 3rd consultationTo organise focus group meetings to discuss concernsTo organise PD programmesTo develop exemplars to support the implementation of the curriculum

Combined Science(Chemistry Part)Worth some time for deliberation!

Curriculum FrameworkAll compulsory topics (135 hours)Planet EarthMicroscopic WorldMetalsAcids and BasesFossil Fuels and Carbon CompoundsRedox Reactions, Chemical Cells and ElectrolysisChemical Reactions and Energy

Curriculum FrameworkKey chemistry elements Knowledge / Skills / Values and Attitudes / STSEScientific InvestigationsFormulae and equations Mole and stoichiometryConservation of mass Conservation of energy

Investigative Study in Chemistry Part of Combined ScienceOrganisation: subsumed into learning and teaching processScale: 10 hours or lessFormat: make reference to that presented in NSS Chemistry Curriculum

Subject Combinations in Science Education KLAExamples: Core Subjects: Eng, Chi, Maths, L.S.Elective Subjects:Science (Integrated) + (e.g. ICT, BAFS)Chemistry + Combined Science (Bio/Phy)Chemistry + Physics + Biology

Subject Combination (1)

Subject Combination (2)

Subject Combination (3)

Progression of Study

Progression of StudyModel 1

Progression of StudyModel 2

Progression of StudyModel 3

Progression of StudyModel 4

Interfacing with Junior Secondary Science CurriculumStepping stones for senior secondary science curriculum!?Knowledge and skills required for conducting scientific investigationKnowledge and understandingUses of fossil fuels & related environmental impactsCommon acids and alkalisPractical skillsTests for hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, Separation techniques

Suggested Learning and Teaching Sequences

Curriculum Integration

Sequencing & Flow

Flexibility

2006/20071. http://www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/TC/Content_2396/ pdp_sec_c.pdf(6)2. http://www.edb.gov.hk/3343. http://tcs.edb.gov.hk

A. (9) (06/07 )B. (15)(06/0707/085)C. (15) (06/0707/085)D. (24) (05/0606/0707/08)

Prescribed curriculum vs descriptive curriculumNZ: 7 years of sec ed, no electives at all, LOF to guide teaching and learning, therefore STLA: Suggested Learning & Teaching ActivitiesJump to last slideSTLA: Suggested Learning & Teaching ActivitiesSTLA: Suggested Learning & Teaching ActivitiesSTLA: Suggested Learning & Teaching ActivitiesSTLA: Suggested Learning & Teaching Activities1.Students can select one subject from each of the stream A, B and C. However, some combinations like Science (Phy/Chem) + Chemistry + Biology are not possible, for the overlapping of X1 and X2.2.Examples of possible combinations in Science KLA:3X (with Chemistry): Physics + Chemistry + Biology (only combination with NSS Chemistry)Physics + ICT + Science (Chem/Bio)Science (Phy/Chem) + Visual Arts + Biology2X:Biology + Science (Phy/Chem)Chemistry + PhysicsChemistry + BiologyPhysics + BiologyPage 96Page 98