NSS Chemistry Curriculum and Combined Science Raymond FONG Science Education Section, EDB 10 June 2006

Presentation Outline 1.Key aspects of NSS Chemistry curriculum development 2.Features of NSS Combined Science Curriculum – Chemistry Part 3.Curriculum Planning

Consultation Process 1.Benchmarking by oversea agents: –UCIE, University of Cambridge, UK –International Baccalaureate Organization (via UCIE) –Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, University of Waikato, NZ 2.Questionnaires from secondary schools (n>400) 3.Focus group meetings / School visits / Telephone conversation / s / …

General Remarks from UCIE Broadly equivalent to UK –at least the standard of AS syllabus and the IBO core syllabus Curriculum: exciting and relevant, thoughtful work LOO, SLTA, VA – commendable, extremely useful guidance High quality exemplar materials and suggestions to teaching styles & strategies

General Remarks from WMIER Curriculum: incorporate fundamental chemical principles and concepts & skills appropriate at this level Overall structure lacks coherency & difficult to interpret, suggest to include overall teaching sequences over three year period

Results of Questionnaires Aims & Rationale: 97.7% SA/A Level of difficulty: 88.7% SA/A Breadth & depth: 87.2% SA/A Relevancy of content: 81.0% SA/A Flexibility: 57.0% SA/A, 26.3% D/SD, 16.6% No opinion

Results of Questionnaires Sequence & flow: 88.5% SA/A Balance of foundation & specialised learning: 83.1% SA/A Balance of K/S/A.: 82.3% SA/A Learning to learn: 72.4% SA/A

Concern & Response Concern: Coherency & Sequence Review: Do local school teachers have concerns on the issue raised by WMiER?concerns Chapter 3 of C/A guide has provided an explicit sequence for the “latent” topic like “mole” Textbooks, resource materials by CDI and PD (Understanding and Interpreting) should help Response: Design charts / flow diagrams etc and overview to facilitate stakeholders to develop understanding about the curriculum, e.g. possible teaching sequences over the 3-year periodcharts / flow diagrams

Concern & Response Concern: Flexibility of curriculum for students with different needs Review: Certain flexibility already implemented in the curriculumCertain flexibility Response: provide suggestions to facilitate teachers develop a flexible curriculum for students provide suggestions to teachers on how to cater differences at learning and teaching provide PD opportunities for teachers to enhance their knowledge and skills in understanding the curriculum and how to deal with learning differences to include diverse assessment items / to devise alternative assessment arrangements

Concern & Response Concern: More emphasis on generic skills / transferrable skills / core skills Review: these skills have been included in numerous SLTA & “Investigative Study in Chemistry” Response: Explicitly put forward the need to address these skills in chapter 1, and suggestions with examples to illustrate how to foster generic skills with different learning and teaching activities in chapter 4

Concern & Response Concern: Relation of content required and teaching time available Review and response: closely re- examine each section of the framework to review time required for essential learning activities with due regard to diverse population (on- going)

Ways forward To revise the C/A Guide for 3rd consultation To organise focus group meetings to discuss concerns To organise PD programmes To develop exemplars to support the implementation of the curriculum

Combined Science (Chemistry Part) Worth some time for deliberation!

Curriculum Framework All compulsory topics (135 hours) –Planet Earth –Microscopic World –Metals –Acids and Bases –Fossil Fuels and Carbon Compounds –Redox Reactions, Chemical Cells and Electrolysis –Chemical Reactions and Energy

Curriculum Framework Key chemistry elements –Knowledge / Skills / Values and Attitudes / STSE –Scientific Investigations –Formulae and equations –Mole and stoichiometry –Conservation of mass –Conservation of energy

Investigative Study in Chemistry Part of Combined Science Organisation: subsumed into learning and teaching process Scale: 10 hours or less Format: make reference to that presented in NSS Chemistry Curriculum

Subject Combinations in Science Education KLA Examples: –Core Subjects: Eng, Chi, Maths, L.S. –Elective Subjects: Science (Integrated) + … (e.g. ICT, BAFS) Chemistry + Combined Science (Bio/Phy) Chemistry + Physics + Biology …

Subject Combination (1)

Subject Combination (2)

Subject Combination (3)

Progression of Study

Progression of Study Model 1 S6BiologyChemistryPhysics S5BiologyChemistryPhysics S4BiologyChemistryPhysics

Progression of Study Model 2 S6BiologyChemistry S5BiologyChemistry S4BiologyChemistryPhysics

Progression of Study Model 3 S6 Combined Science (Phy/Bio) Chemistry S5 Combined Science (Phy/Bio) Chemistry S4BiologyChemistryPhysics

Progression of Study Model 4 S6 Combined Science (Phy/Bio) Chemistry ICT / BAFS / … S5 Combined Science (Phy/Bio) Chemistry ICT / BAFS / … S4BiologyChemistryPhysics

Interfacing with Junior Secondary Science Curriculum “Stepping stones” for senior secondary science curriculum!? –Knowledge and skills required for conducting scientific investigation –Knowledge and understanding Uses of fossil fuels & related environmental impacts Common acids and alkalis … –Practical skills Tests for hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, … Separation techniques …

Suggested Learning and Teaching Sequences

Curriculum Integration

Sequencing & Flow

Flexibility

新高中化學科專業培訓課程 有關 2006/2007 年課程最新資料，可參閱以下網址： 1. pdp_sec_c.pdf (6 月下旬、七月初 )

新高中化學科專業培訓課程 A. 課程詮釋 (9 小時，建議必修 ) (06/07 重辦 ) B. 評估與評核 (15 小時，建議必修 ) (06/07 及 07/08 學年： 5 個課程 ) C. 學與教課程 (15 小時，選修 ) (06/07 及 07/08 學年： 5 個課程 ) D. 課程知識增益系列 ( 三年內共 24 小時，選修 ) (05/06 ：四個課程、 06/07 ：二個課程及 07/08 ：二個課程 )