49 research outputs found
Multiple aims in the development of a major reform of the national curriculum for science in England
In the context of a major reform of the school science curriculum for 14-16 year olds in England we examine the aims ascribed to the reform, the stakeholders involved and the roles of differing values and authority in its development. This reform includes an emphasis on socioscientific issues and the nature of science; curriculum trends of international relevance. Our analysis identifies largely 'instrumental' aims, with little emphasis on 'intrinsic' aims and associated values. We identify five broad categories of stakeholders focusing on different aims with, for example, a social, individual, political or economic emphasis. We suggest that curriculum development projects reflecting largely social and individual aims were appropriated by other stakeholders to serve political and economic aims. We argue that a curriculum reform body representing all stakeholder interests is needed to ensure that multiple aims are considered throughout the curriculum reform process. Within such a body the differentiated character of the science teaching community would need to be represented
Learning to Teach About Ideas and Evidence in Science : The Student Teacher as Change Agent
A collaborative curriculum development project was set up to address the lack of good examples of teaching about ideas and evidence and the nature of science encountered by student teachers training to teach in the age range 11-16 in schools in England. Student and teacher-mentor pairs devised, taught and evaluated novel lessons and approaches. The project design required increasing levels of critique through cycles of teaching, evaluation and revision of lessons. Data were gathered from interviews and students' reports to assess the impact of the project on student teachers and to what extent any influences survived when they gained their first teaching posts. A significant outcome was the perception of teaching shifting from the delivery of standard lessons in prescribed ways to endeavours demanding creativity and decision-making. Although school-based factors limited newly qualified teachers' chances to use new lessons and approaches and therefore act as change-agents in schools, the ability to critique curriculum materials and the recognition of the need to create space for professional dialogue were durable gains
School processes in providing reading support in GCSE examinations
Against a background of increasing student eligibility for âaccess arrangementsâ in examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), this article examines the processes within schools that structure a student's access to the provision of reading support, including staff and student viewpoints. Dominic Griffiths, who is a Senior Advisory Teacher with Tameside Local Authority Education Psychology and Learning Support Team, and Kevin Woods, who is a Senior Lecturer in Educational and Child Psychology at the University of Manchester, report upon a series of four case studies, each based within an urban secondary school offering some form of reading support to students in GCSE examinations. Each case study incorporates student interviews, observations of reading support in action, and interviews with staff who manage and provide reading support in examinations. Quantitative findings show an association between students' preferred mode of reading support and the location in which it is provided. Qualitative analyses revealed key themes relating to the dynamics of provision and use of reading support, including âstudent worthinessâ, ârelationshipsâ and âunfair advantageâ. Recommendations are made for a more central role for student consultation within processes for providing reader support to GCSE examination candidates
A âLearning Revolutionâ? Investigating Pedagogic Practices around Interactive Whiteboards in British Primary Classrooms
Interactive whiteboards have been rapidly introduced into all primary schools under UK Government initiatives. These large, touch-sensitive screens, which control a computer connected to a digital projector, seem to be the first type of educational technology particularly suited for whole-class teaching and learning. Strong claims are made for their value by manufacturers and policy makers, but there has been little research on how, if at all, they influence established pedagogic practices, communicative processes and educational goals. This study has been designed to examine this issue, using observations in primary (elementary) school classrooms. It is funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council and builds on the authorsâ previous research on ICT in educational dialogues and collaborative activities
Preâservice Teachersâ Subject Knowledge of and Attitudes about Radioactivity and Ionising Radiation
The predicament of primary physical education: a consequence of 'insufficient' ITT and 'ineffective' CPD?
Background: Research on primary physical education (PE) in England and other countries has shown that it is an aspect of the curriculum that has suffered from sparse initial teacher training (ITT). As a consequence of âinsufficientâ time spent on PE in ITT (PE-ITT), primary teachers often have low levels of confidence and competence with respect to teaching the subject. Evidence also points to inadequacies in traditional forms of professional development in PE (PE-CPD), leading to calls for more effective ways of developing teachers' competence to deliver high quality PE.
Purpose: To explore primary school teachers' experiences of PE during ITT and the PE context in their schools prior to them engaging in a national PE-CPD programme, and their perceptions of the immediate and longer-term effects of this programme.
Setting and participants: Primary school teachers in five local education authorities in England.
Research design and data collection: A combination of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches were adopted, including: pre-course audits, course evaluations, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The pre-course audits captured information about the teachers' experiences of PE-ITT and the PE context in their schools prior to them engaging in the CPD. The course evaluations focused on initial impressions of the PE-CPD, and the focus groups and interviews captured the teachers' perceptions of its longer-term effects.
Findings: For up to half of the teachers, their PE-ITT was âinsufficientâ in terms of the time dedicated to it and the breadth of coverage of the subject. The PE-CPD programme, which was designed in the light of âinsufficientâ PE-ITT, demonstrated features of âeffectiveâ CPD in that it was considered relevant to classroom practice and partially addressed some of their many needs (especially in relation to content ideas and inclusive practice). However, its effectiveness was undoubtedly limited due to: its short time span and minimal engagement with teachers; a heavy reliance on resources; and the absence of follow-up support. In addition, it did not adequately address known areas of development for primary PE (such as medium to long-term planning and assessment) and was challenged in meeting the diverse needs of primary teachers of 5â11 year olds. Furthermore, inadequate PE time and reduced opportunities to teach PE in some schools limited implementation of learning from the PE-CPD.
Conclusions: The findings of this study confirmed that PE-ITT continues to be âinsufficientâ for many primary teachers and that the PE-CPD in question, whilst partially âeffectiveâ, was not, and could never have been, the panacea for the inherent issues within and predicament of primary PE. In effect, this PE-CPD programme with its limited duration and engagement with teachers, a heavy reliance on resources, and no planned follow-up support was not sufficiently different to forms of CPD described in the literature as âineffectiveâ; consequently, it could not hope to compensate for long-term systemic weaknesses such as inadequate primary PE-ITT. These weaknesses need to be addressed through a dual approach of âsufficientâ PE-ITT followed by âeffectiveâ PE-CPD which engages teachers and their colleagues in long-term collaborative endeavours that support transformative practice
Distinctiveness of curriculum provision at 14 to 16 for students with learning difficulties: opportunities and challenges
The rise and fall of human rights in English education policy: Inescapable national interests and PREVENT
The article interprets changes in human rights education in English school policy on values which have increasingly been framed by PREVENT and a move from international to national expressions of values. It reveals the extent of the impact and nature of this change on human rights education in school policy for the first time. It reports changes from minimal to maximal expectations compounded by an increased focus of school performance. It broadly illustrates the extent to which values are politically framed and significantly how recently âsuddenâ political changes in the United Kingdom can be seen as part of a change trend which is almost 10Â years old. It draws on Schwartzâs theoretical structure of values, Baxiâs conceptualisation of rights and Lohrenscheitâs notion of learning about and learning for human rights as these, respectively, reveal conceptual clarity in values, human rights and pedagogy