Teachers’ perceptions of the importance of scientific literacy: implications for school curriculum and initial teacher education programmes

Neil Radford & Maria DentITE (Primary Science) University of Derby

Aims and background:Bybee and McCrae (2011, p8) warn that through simply studying science, an individual is not

“transformed from a passive recipient of information to an active and discerning consumer of information”

Contested science curriculum - balance between subject knowledge and applications of sciencePurpose of science education – scientific literacy? What is scientific literacy?

Two major camps (Holbrook & Rannikmae, 2009) Central role for knowledge of science (short-term view) ‘Society usefulness’ science literacy for all,

reasoning skills in social context, meeting challenges

of rapidly changing world (longer term view)

Aims and background:

At school level (Bybee, 1997) suggests scientific literacy considered at 4 functional levels: Nominal (recognise scientific terms, but not meaning of them)

Functional (use scientific terms/vocab, but usually only out of context e.g. tests)

Conceptual and Procedural (understands relationships between concepts and can use processes with meaning)

Multidimensional (developed perspectives of science including nature of science, role of science and technology in personal life and society)

At what level is teachers’ understanding of scientific literacy?

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Key questions:

To what extent do understandings and views appear to differ between science educators in different phases of education?

How do science educators’ views compare with the current debates connected to science curriculum?

What are the implications for initial teacher education (ITE) programmes (especially new School Direct programmes)?

Research design:

Anonymous On-line survey, using Lime Survey

Emailed to partnership contacts (Secondary & FE through MA Education partnership and Primary & EYFS through ITE partnership)

Snowball sampling – email forwarded to relevant science educators (meaning teachers of science at whatever phase of education)

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Research design:

Likert-style, open-ended and rank-order questions

Education phase, science job role (specialist?), qualifications

What are the important concepts in science education?

Purpose of science education?

Understanding of scientific literacy?

Desired changes to science curriculum?

Importance of knowledge and scientific literacy aspects for learners and teachers? (Likert-style)

Focus of ITE for science teachers ? (Ranking exercise)

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Findings 1: Demographics & Changes to curriculum 33 completed responses; 14 Secondary & 19 Primary Predictably, most ‘specialist science teachers’ were in secondary and ‘non-

specialist science teachers’ in primary Primary 11/19 ‘science co-ordinators’ Secondary 4/14 ‘science leaders’

Desired changes to curriculum:

Less prescriptive (11)

Focus more on practical work and scientific enquiry (10)

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Findings 2: Important concepts & purpose

Important concepts: Most common (30 references) were specific science concepts e.g.

forces, interconnections of energy, particle matter theory, evolutionary theory

Also common (19): investigative/enquiry skills A few references to role of humans/links to everyday life (4)

Purpose: ‘to help pupils understand the world around them’ (22) – science

concepts Curiosity, interest and ask questions (17) e.g. ‘engage and enthuse

children to explore and find out for themselves’ – science literacy Enquiry skills and solve problems (15) – skills Science knowledge and science career preparation (10) – science

concepts

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Findings 3: Scientific Literacy

Knowing science vocabulary and terminology (15) e.g.

‘Having the literacy skills to be able to understand scientific terms and key words and descriptions.’ (Secondary chemistry teacher)

‘Scientific literacy is the ability to understand and correctly use scientific vocabulary.’ (Primary science coordinator)

Links to ability to communicate science ideas (5) Ability to engage with science in the media/range of sources (8) Knowledge & understanding of science concepts (8) Enquiry/investigative skills (8) (2) ‘Never heard this term before’ (Primary science coordinator)

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Findings 4: Likert-style responses – Chart showing mean scores

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• General agreement between secondary and primary teachers

• Highest positive attitudes, applications to everyday life and skills

• Knowledge of statistical principles lowest score

• Primary higher for enquiry and thinking skills

• Secondary higher for teacher subject knowledge and qualifications

Findings 6: What should be the focus of ITE for science educators?

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Primary teachers Secondary teachersDeveloping scientific thinking skills Most

important

Science subject knowledge

Developing scientific enquiry skills Confidence in science

Confidence in science Understanding learner

misconceptionsUnderstanding the purpose of

science education Knowledge of teaching methods

Science subject knowledge Developing scientific thinking skills

Understanding learner misconceptions Developing scientific enquiry skills

Knowledge of teaching methods Least important

Understanding the purpose of science education

Knowledge of science education theory

Knowledge of science education theory

Analysis and conclusions 1:

Secondary teachers focus is more on subject knowledge for pupils, themselves and for trainee teachers – Exam focus (GCSE & ‘A’ Level)

Primary teachers focus is more about investigative and thinking skills for pupils, themselves and trainee teachers – Exam focus (SATS)

Many of the key aspects of scientific literacy are deemed important (Likert-style statements) but teachers’ perceptions of science literacy are very narrow across both phases of education. Consistent with short term view (Holbrook and Rannikmae, 2009) and Functional Level (Bybee (1997)

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Analysis and conclusions 2:

Notions of the purpose of science education and its important concepts centre around ‘knowledge of the world around us’ – science subject knowledge and skills.

Little about generating positive attitudes to science or understanding limitations of science, engaging pupils in science or appreciation for science in the modern world

Teachers’ perceptions of science literacy, purpose of science education and lack of need for pre-service teachers to engage in science education theory suggests a narrow ‘technician’ view of the teachers’ role.

www.derby.ac.uk/education

Discussion points: Implications

Free schools and academies – greater teacher autonomy and control over curriculum

School direct – greater school input to ITE, more insular, proliferation of ‘received wisdom’ of teacher as technician

Role for HEI in science ITE to maintain and promote science literacy, science education theory and the role of teacher as critical thinking professional

Bybee and McCrae (2011, p8) warn that through simply studying science, an individual is not

“transformed from a passive recipient of information to an active and discerning consumer of information”

Do teachers’ perceptions of science education encourage discerning consumers?

www.derby.ac.uk/education