Scientific literacy of HK studentsScientific literacy of HK students

Implications for curriculum & instruction

Implications for curriculum & instruction

Have the scientific knowledge Have the scientific knowledge & skills needed for everyday & skills needed for everyday life.life.

Use the key ideas in science to Use the key ideas in science to make make informed decisionsinformed decisions & & participate in society.participate in society.

What is scientific literacy ?What is scientific literacy ?

How is scientific literacy How is scientific literacy measured?measured?

Ability to Ability to use scientific knowledgeuse scientific knowledge

ask scientific questionsask scientific questions

identifying evidenceidentifying evidence

drawing/evaluating drawing/evaluating

conclusionsconclusions

communicate scientific communicate scientific

ideas/conclusionsideas/conclusions

15 (16) 5 (5) 5 (5) 6 (7) 3 (5)

Performance of HK students Performance of HK students

in scientific literacyin scientific literacy

OECD average

Hong Kong

95th percentile 657 67190th percentile 627 64575th percentile 572 60050th percentile 500 54125th percentile 431 48810th percentile 368 4265th percentile 332 391

Student scores at different

percentiles

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percentile of students

Scie

nce

Scor

e

OECD average

HK

Implication for curriculum Implication for curriculum

& instruction ?& instruction ?

Lower achievers of Hong Kong are less disadvantaged in scientific literacy.

HK secondary schools:HK secondary schools:

High degree of segregation in High degree of segregation in

terms of abilities of student intaketerms of abilities of student intake

Reduced difference in science Reduced difference in science achievement between the low achievement between the low

and high achievers ?and high achievers ?

ALA schools are not disadvantaged ALA schools are not disadvantaged in terms of supply of in terms of supply of qualified qualified teachersteachers, , supporting staffsupporting staff and and equipmentequipment..

Majority of HK schools are Majority of HK schools are

supported by the government supported by the government

with equal funding & with equal funding &

resourcesresources

Science curriculum – Science curriculum –

core & extension componentscore & extension components

Design and implementation of school-based curriculumDesign and implementation of school-based curriculum

Development of teaching skills that facilitate the Development of teaching skills that facilitate the

learning of low achieverslearning of low achievers

Greater emphasis on learning & thinking skillsGreater emphasis on learning & thinking skills

ALA schoolsALA schools

Additional support from EMB and Additional support from EMB and

other organisations (CUSP) in other organisations (CUSP) in

various ways:various ways:

Performance in different components

of scientific literacy

33.2

49.6

60.8

43.7

62.9

30.2

37.3

49.1

46.1

49.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

5. Communicating conclusions

4. Drawing conclusions

3. Identifying evidence

2. Recognising questions

1. Understanding concepts

% correct

International mean

Hong Kong

*

*

Strengths & weaknesses of HK Strengths & weaknesses of HK

students:students:

understanding scientific conceptsunderstanding scientific concepts

identifying evidenceidentifying evidence

drawing conclusions drawing conclusions

recognising scientific questionsrecognising scientific questions

communicating communicating

conclusions/scientific ideasconclusions/scientific ideas

Focus of HK science curriculum:Focus of HK science curriculum:

Mastery of scientific knowledge Mastery of scientific knowledge

Junior science encourages Junior science encourages

integration of practical work with integration of practical work with

learning of science concepts – learning of science concepts –

investigatory approachinvestigatory approach

Adequate supply of trained Adequate supply of trained

science teachersscience teachers

Didactic teaching style Didactic teaching style

Highly prescriptive instruction Highly prescriptive instruction on practical work:on practical work:little opportunity for students tolittle opportunity for students to

- pose problems- pose problems & & formulate formulate hypotheseshypotheses

- design experiments- design experiments & work & work according to according to their own designtheir own design

Little demand on communication skills in interpreting results, discussion and drawing conclusions.

Completion of worksheetCompletion of worksheet

A lesson on teaching of A lesson on teaching of electrical resistanceelectrical resistance

We can control the loudness of a We can control the loudness of a radio or the brightness of a table radio or the brightness of a table

lamp.lamp.

How to vary the current size in How to vary the current size in an electric circuit? an electric circuit?

Concept of resistanceConcept of resistance

How to change the resistance of How to change the resistance of an electric circuit? an electric circuit?

We can control the loudness of a We can control the loudness of a radio or the brightness of a table radio or the brightness of a table

lamp.lamp.

How to vary the current size in How to vary the current size in an electric circuit? an electric circuit?

Concept of resistanceConcept of resistance

How to change the resistance of How to change the resistance of an electric circuit? an electric circuit?

Experiment 1Experiment 1

Which wire conducts better, the Which wire conducts better, the copper wire or the nichrome wire? copper wire or the nichrome wire?

You are given 1 copper wire and 1 You are given 1 copper wire and 1 nichrome wire – same length & nichrome wire – same length &

thickness.thickness.

Design a circuit to test which wire Design a circuit to test which wire conducts electricity better.conducts electricity better.

Experiment 1Experiment 1

Which wire conducts better, the Which wire conducts better, the copper wire or the nichrome wire? copper wire or the nichrome wire?

You are given 1 copper wire and 1 You are given 1 copper wire and 1 nichrome wire – same length & nichrome wire – same length &

thickness.thickness.

Design a circuit to test which wire Design a circuit to test which wire conducts electricity better.conducts electricity better.

Carry out the experiment Carry out the experiment

What is the use of the bulb in the What is the use of the bulb in the circuit?circuit?

Conclusion:Conclusion:

We can conclude that the ____ wire We can conclude that the ____ wire conducts electricity better because conducts electricity better because ____________

Carry out the experiment Carry out the experiment

What is the use of the bulb in the What is the use of the bulb in the circuit?circuit?

Conclusion:Conclusion:

We can conclude that the ____ wire We can conclude that the ____ wire conducts electricity better because conducts electricity better because ____________

Experiment 2Experiment 2

Resistance of a wire and its Resistance of a wire and its thicknessthickness

Experiment 2Experiment 2

Resistance of a wire and its Resistance of a wire and its thicknessthickness

Experiment 3Experiment 3

Resistance of a wire and its lengthResistance of a wire and its length

Experiment 3Experiment 3

Resistance of a wire and its lengthResistance of a wire and its length

Set up a circuit with a thin nichrome Set up a circuit with a thin nichrome wire:wire:

What can students learn ? What can students learn ?

• manipulative skillsmanipulative skills

• observation observation

• drawing conclusionsdrawing conclusions

What can students learn ? What can students learn ?

• manipulative skillsmanipulative skills

• observation observation

• drawing conclusionsdrawing conclusions

but no opportunities to:but no opportunities to:

• identify problems for identify problems for investigation investigation

• formulate hypothesisformulate hypothesis

• design experimentsdesign experiments

but no opportunities to:but no opportunities to:

• identify problems for identify problems for investigation investigation

• formulate hypothesisformulate hypothesis

• design experimentsdesign experiments

A more inquiry-based A more inquiry-based approachapproach

A more inquiry-based A more inquiry-based approachapproach

Which material conducts Which material conducts electricity better, copper or electricity better, copper or

nichrome?nichrome?

You are given some copper & You are given some copper & nichrome wires nichrome wires ((different length & different length &

thicknessthickness))..

Design a circuit to test which Design a circuit to test which materialmaterial conducts electricity better conducts electricity better

How would you How would you compare the compare the resistanceresistance (or size of the electric (or size of the electric

current) ?current) ?

Which material conducts Which material conducts electricity better, copper or electricity better, copper or

nichrome?nichrome?

You are given some copper & You are given some copper & nichrome wires nichrome wires ((different length & different length &

thicknessthickness))..

Design a circuit to test which Design a circuit to test which materialmaterial conducts electricity better conducts electricity better

How would you How would you compare the compare the resistanceresistance (or size of the electric (or size of the electric

current) ?current) ?

Concepts of Concepts of

independent variablesindependent variables

dependent variables dependent variables

controlled variablescontrolled variables

Concepts of Concepts of

independent variablesindependent variables

dependent variables dependent variables

controlled variablescontrolled variables

Suggest 2 factors that may affect the Suggest 2 factors that may affect the resistance of nichrome wire.resistance of nichrome wire.

Design experiments to test your Design experiments to test your suggestions.suggestions.

Suggest 2 factors that may affect the Suggest 2 factors that may affect the resistance of nichrome wire.resistance of nichrome wire.

Design experiments to test your Design experiments to test your suggestions.suggestions.

You have studied 3 factors that affect the You have studied 3 factors that affect the resistance of a wire: resistance of a wire: material, thickness, material, thickness, lengthlength

How would you design a circuit for How would you design a circuit for controlling the current size in a radio or controlling the current size in a radio or table lamp?table lamp?

You have studied 3 factors that affect the You have studied 3 factors that affect the resistance of a wire: resistance of a wire: material, thickness, material, thickness, lengthlength

How would you design a circuit for How would you design a circuit for controlling the current size in a radio or controlling the current size in a radio or table lamp?table lamp?

Worksheet-directed approach

A more systematic way to develop mastery of the

methods of science

Worksheet-directed approach

A more systematic way to develop mastery of the

methods of scienceidentifying problems

formulating hypothesis

making predictions

designing experiments

drawing & evaluating conclusions

identifying problems

formulating hypothesis

making predictions

designing experiments

drawing & evaluating conclusions

Strengths & weaknesses of HK Strengths & weaknesses of HK

students:students:

understanding scientific conceptsunderstanding scientific concepts

identifying evidenceidentifying evidence

drawing conclusions drawing conclusions

recognising scientific questionsrecognising scientific questions

communicating communicating

conclusions/scientific ideasconclusions/scientific ideas

HK junior scienceHK junior science

dominated by academic & dominated by academic & cognitive orientationscognitive orientations

Deficient in understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge, the potentials & limitations of the scientific process

- important for solving everyday important for solving everyday life problems, and to make life problems, and to make informed decision on social and informed decision on social and personal issuespersonal issues

HK junior scienceHK junior science

dominated by academic & dominated by academic & cognitive orientationscognitive orientations

Deficient in understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge, the potentials & limitations of the scientific process

- important for solving everyday important for solving everyday life problems, and to make life problems, and to make informed decision on social and informed decision on social and personal issuespersonal issues

Science curriculum (S1-5) Science curriculum (S1-5) should include nature of should include nature of

sciencescience

Historical development of Historical development of science conceptsscience concepts

(e.g. S & T curriculum)(e.g. S & T curriculum)

Implications for the science Implications for the science curriculum?curriculum?

If science education aims at If science education aims at promoting development of scientific promoting development of scientific

literacy …literacy …

Further analysis of PISA 2000:Further analysis of PISA 2000:

Gender differencesGender differences

No. of science periodsNo. of science periods

Time spent on homeworkTime spent on homework

Time on readingTime on reading

Further analysis of PISA 2000:Further analysis of PISA 2000:

Gender differencesGender differences

No. of science periodsNo. of science periods

Time spent on homeworkTime spent on homework

Time on readingTime on reading

Future PISA studies:Future PISA studies:

Tracking changes in literacy with Tracking changes in literacy with timetime

Impact of education innovations on Impact of education innovations on literacyliteracy

Future PISA studies:Future PISA studies:

Tracking changes in literacy with Tracking changes in literacy with timetime

Impact of education innovations on Impact of education innovations on literacyliteracyPISA 2006PISA 2006PISA 2006PISA 2006