Science Investigation in Secondary School: Changes to Teacher Practice

Abstract

We have observed that just like the primary school teachers in the previous chapter, secondary school science teachers continually make changes to their practice to support student learning more effectively through a process of reflection and review. However, this process does not tend to be informed by published research. As in Chap. 5, our interest was to find out how access to published research evidence added to teachers’ reflection and the impacts it had on how they use science investigations in their classes. In this parallel chapter, we describe what happened when participating secondary school teachers made research evidence-based changes to their practice of science investigation.

Appendices

Appendix 6.1

A checklist for analysing and comparing up to 10 practical activities

1 Learning objective (s) (or intended learning outcome(s))

Appendix 6.2

This framework by Millar (2010) was used to compare the change in practice a framework suggested by Millar (2010). It allows a comparison of up to 10 lessons. We used this framework to analyse the nine observed lessons in Phase 1 with the 9 lessons in Phase 2. We have also analysed and added the science capabilities for citizenship in Tables one and two (Appendix 6.2). In this table, Hazel is T1, Chris is T2 and Fran is T3. Science capabilities are identified as CP1 Gather and interpret data; CP2 Use evidence; and CP3 Critique evidence. To make sense of the details in the last two rows of the table see the key below the table (Tables 6.6 and 6.7).

Table 6.6 Analysis of nine investigations in the three observed classes (Phase 1)

Table 6.7 Analysis of nine investigations in the three observed classes (Phase 2)

Appendix 6.3: Student Reflective Survey