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

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s an

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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)

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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

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plana

tion

Form

and

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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