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Professor Kurt Lambeck, President, Australian Academy of Science

Science Education Work of the Australian Academy of Science

1. Nova - Science in the news

2. Interviews with Australian Scientists

3. Primary Connections

4. Science by Doing

Reasons for involvement?

Development of a scientifically literate society.

It is not only about ensuring a cohort of future scientists or increasing the numbers enrolled in science courses

but also

To give all students a basic understanding of science to make sense of their world and to be able to operate successfully in an increasingly scientific and technological world.

Primary Connections: linking science with literacy

2006 TRIALConcerns about primary science

Science teaching time

Australian primary teachers spend less time on Science than all other subjects except LOTE (Language other than English) 41 minutes per week spent on Science on average across K-7

2.7% of total weekly teaching time (Angus et al, 2004)

2006 TRIAL

Purpose of Primary Connections

To

improve learning outcomes for primary students in science and

literacy

by

developing a professional learning program supported with

curriculum resources

that will

improve teachers’ confidence and competence for teaching

science through developing their science pedagogical content

knowledge.

2006 TRIAL

Primary Connections

Professional learning programme

supported by

curriculum resources

2006 TRIAL

Underpinning frameworks

• 5Es teaching and learning model• Engage• Explore• Explain• Elaborate• Evaluate

(Roger Bybee, 1997)

2006 TRIAL

Underpinning frameworks

• 5Es teaching and learning model

• Assessment embedded within the teaching and learning model

• Linking science with literacy

• Inquiry and investigative approach

• Cooperative learning strategies

2006 TRIAL

Science and literacy - a mutually supportive relationship

Measuring and recording observations of broad bean seed germination in a science journal

Creating a labelled diagram to represent understanding of parts of a germinating broad bean seed

2006 TRIAL2005 Trial of Primary Connections

• 56 schools, 106 teachers and >3000 students

• trial schools from all jurisdictions and sectors, metro, regional and rural schools

• teachers completed 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 days PD

• taught supplied units in Terms 1 and 3

• taught teacher-developed units in Term 2

• data gathered by teacher and student questionnaires, case studies, analysis of students’ work samples

2006 TRIAL

Total self-efficacy score

Initial survey (2004)

End of summer school

Mid Term 1, 2005

End Term 1, 2005

End Term 2, 2005

1-10 0 0 0 00

11-202 0 0 0 0

21-3020 10 4 3 1

31-4050 49 52 54 49

41-5017 30 33 32 39

A 10 item self-efficacy scale was assembled using items selected from Riggs and Enochs (1990) Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument.

Changes to Teachers’ Self-efficacy (n = 89)

2006 TRIAL

Achievement level and score FrequencyAt start of unit At end of unit

(lowest) 1 11 0

2 16 3

3 41 5

4 3 8

5 1 15

6 0 22

7 0 15

(highest) 8 0 4

Mean score 2.54 * 5.51 *

Achievement Gains: Year 5 Students (n = 72)

Duration: 1 term

Year 6 Bench mark

2006 TRIAL

Minutes of science taught per week Per cent of teachers

Before (2004) Using PC (2005)

60 minutes or more 33.0 72.7

Between 30 and 60 minutes 39.8 26.1

Less than 30 minutes 23.9 1.4

Rarely taught science 3.4 0

Changes to Time teaching Science (n = 89)

2006 TRIALResearch findings overview

Primary Connections was trialled by 106 teachers in 56 schools Australia-wide in 2005.

Primary Connections

• improved teachers’ confidence, self-efficacy and practice• increased the amount of science taught and increased the

focus on learning rather than managing activities• received a very positive response from students • according to both teachers and students, increased the

quality and amount of learning of science and literacy; and• improved the status of science teaching within the school

(Hackling & Prain, 2005. Stage 2 Research Report)

2006 TRIAL

www.science.org.au/primaryconnections