Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Curriculum Leadership For Head Teachers And Aspiring Head Teachers

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate The Science Unit – Curriculum Directorate Glen Sawle Manager Science Unit Ric Morante Senior Curriculum Adviser 7-12 Harry Vassila Senior Curriculum Adviser K-6

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate There is a difference between learning for memorisation and learning for understanding

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Students come into our classrooms with a range of existing ideas or conceptions of the physical world. They are not ‘empty vessels’ waiting to be filled

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate What preconceived ideas do students bring to the learning situation? Where have they gathered the information from to lead to these preconceived ideas and conceptions

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Why did they build the Great Wall of China? Why did they build the Great Wall of China?

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Many of these conceptions differ in important ways from the view of the world scientists have constructed. (Many of these alternative or naïve conceptions are similar to views scientists held in previous eras)

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate When presented with an idea that differs from their current conception They may: Accept the new idea and reject the old Accept the new idea and reject the old Accept the new idea but retain the old for use in some circumstances Accept the new idea but retain the old for use in some circumstances Form a hybrid conception Form a hybrid conception Reject the new idea Reject the new idea

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate The knowledge of the learner can assist or it can interfere with learning The knowledge of the learner can assist or it can interfere with learning Learning involves the construction of meaning Learning involves the construction of meaning Meanings constructed by students may be different to those intended in the learning opportunity Meanings constructed by students may be different to those intended in the learning opportunity

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate What is primary role of the teacher?

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate In the constructivists view of learning the role of the teachers is: In the constructivists view of learning the role of the teachers is: Stimulator of curiosity Stimulator of curiosity Challenger of ideas Challenger of ideas Resource person Resource person Senior co-investigator Senior co-investigator discussant discussant

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Content vs Concept It is all too easy to fall into the trap of teaching content disguised as concept It is all too easy to fall into the trap of teaching content disguised as concept This leads to students being able to approximate understanding without having any real understanding This leads to students being able to approximate understanding without having any real understanding

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Learning for understanding Learning for memorisation

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Science Years 7 – 10 Syllabus

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate The Objectives define in broad terms the associated Prescribed Focus Areas (PFAs) knowledge and understanding Prescribed Focus Areas (PFAs) knowledge and understanding Domain: Knowledge and Understanding Domain: Knowledge and Understanding Domain: Skills in working scientifically Domain: Skills in working scientifically Domain: Values and Attitudes Domain: Values and Attitudes

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Syllabus outcomes define the intended results of teaching They are defined in terms of the intended results of student learning at the end of Stage 4 at the end of Stage 4and at the end of Stage 5 at the end of Stage 5P12-13

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Indicative Hours Essential content – 400 hr (DET Schools 500 hr) Essential content – 400 hr (DET Schools 500 hr) Additional content Additional content not mandatory not mandatory suggested only suggested only not pre-requisite for following stages not pre-requisite for following stages

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Syllabus Requirements Address all essential content (p 23) Address all essential content (p 23) Contexts (p 16) Contexts (p 16) Practical experiences (p 21) Practical experiences (p 21) Student Research Project (p 22) Student Research Project (p 22)

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate PFA Content all PFAs must be addressed each year all PFAs must be addressed each year each unit must address at least one PFA each unit must address at least one PFA Teachers select appropriate essential content to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 Outcome Teachers select appropriate essential content to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 Outcome

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate PFA Outcomes Stage 4 4.2A student uses examples to illustrate how models, theories and laws contribute to an understanding of phenomena Stage 5 5.2A student describes the processes that are applied to test and validate models, theories and laws

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate PFA Content 4/5.2 Students learn about the nature and practice of science Students learn to: d) describe how an idea can gain acceptance in the scientific community as either theory or law e) use examples which show that scientists isolate a set of observations, identify trends and patterns and construct hypotheses or models to explain these f) give examples that demonstrate the benefits and limitations of using models

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Skills Content The essential content reflects the skills that students should be able to demonstrate by the end of stage 5 The essential content reflects the skills that students should be able to demonstrate by the end of stage 5 Teachers select appropriate essential content to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5 Teachers select appropriate essential content to achieve the relevant Stage 4 or Stage 5

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate 4.17A student evaluates the relevance of data and information 4/5.17 Students learn about processing information Students learn to: a) collate information from a number of sources b) distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information c) check the reliability of gathered data and information by comparing them with observations or information from other sources

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Knowledge and Understanding Content addressed within the appropriate stage addressed within the appropriate stage Grouped as – Grouped as – Models, Theories and Laws; Structures and Systems Models, Theories and Laws; Structures and Systems Interactions Interactions Additional Content: can be addressed in either stage can be addressed in either stage not mandatory not mandatory

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate

Cross-curriculum content areas Information and Communication Technologies Work, Employment and Enterprise Aboriginal and Indigenous Civics and Citizenship Environment Environment Gender Gender Key Competencies Key Competencies Literacy Literacy Numeracy Numeracy

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Example ICT of cross-curriculum content 4/5.18 presenting information e) use drawings, diagrams, graphs, tables, databases, spreadsheets and flow charts to show relationships and present information….

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate Science Stage 6

Curriculum Leadership Workshop for Science Head Teachers Science Unit Curriculum Directorate