Primary teachers’ self‐perceptions concerning implementation of the National Curriculum for science in the UK

This paper reports on selected aspects of data, with special reference to science, derived from a survey of primary school teachers as part of the Leverhulme Primary Project at the University of Exeter.

A national sample of teachers (N = 901) across 152 schools was surveyed in order to ascertain teachers’ perceptions of competence and needs with respect to the new National Curriculum in the UK. Initially, data were collected in relation to ten subject areas and generic teaching skills, with provision made for free‐form responses concerning National Curriculum implementation.

Selected aspects of these data, principally related to the National Curriculum core area of science, were subjected to detailed further analysis and are reported. Variables identified from the survey findings, and of concern to science educators, included early subject specialism, years of teaching and gender. These were probed for relationships and significance. The tension between competing National Curriculum requirements for specialist subject knowledge and generalist teaching skills was explored.

Findings have implications for innovation in approaches to staff development to cater for perceived needs, teacher educators and curriculum alignment.     

Curriculum Continuity and Transfer from Primary to Secondary School: the case of history

The transfer of children from primary school to secondary school has long been seen as a problematic area. The National Curriculum was depicted as offering a solution to some of the transfer problems by providing for curriculum continuity across the primary-secondary divide. This paper reports the results of a study of curriculum continuity in one subject, history, now that a National Curriculum has been in place for several years. It reports that teachers continue to see problems with the transfer and that secondary school teachers still incline to a ‘fresh start’ approach to year 7 pupils. There is also some evidence of a lack of curriculum consistency within the secondary schools involved in the research, there are differences between primary and secondary schools in the range of teaching and learning methods employed, there is some decline in pupils’ ratings of their experience of secondary education across year 7 and there are signs of some gender differences in these ratings. The conclusion is that there is a case for saying that the new arrangements have not alleviated the problems associated with the transfer.     

Primary‐Secondary Transfer after the National Curriculum

Much recent comment by the Department of Education and Science (DES) and National Curriculum Council (NCC) has suggested that continuity difficulties will largely disappear as a result of the introduction of the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum, however, does not address the main issue — lack of communication between teachers. Any effect it has is likely to be caused by changes in ways in which primary schools are organised to deliver the curriculum — changes which will bring them closer in ethos to the secondary sector.     

Exchange of information about physical education to support the transition of pupils from primary and secondary school

The purpose of this study was to identify how information about physical education is exchanged between secondary schools and their respective feeder primary schools, what information is exchanged and how this information is used. A secondary purpose was to look at whether there is any relationship between schools engaging in liaison activities and exchanging information about physical education, and between exchanging information and the number of associated secondary schools to which pupils are sent or feeder primary schools from which pupils are received. Questionnaires were sent to 177 secondary and 538 feeder primary schools. Responses from 80 secondary schools and 299 primary schools showed that the highest percentage of teachers exchanged information through written documentation, followed by discussion at cross phase liaison meetings. The type of information exchanged by the highest percentage of teachers was identified as generic information about key stage 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) areas of activity and schemes of work, rather than information about the specific physical education content covered or information about individual pupils, such as levels of attainment or ability. Further, results suggest that information may be used for pastoral purposes and that only a small percentage of teachers used the information exchanged to plan for continuity and progression in the physical education curriculum. There was a significant positive relationship between engagement in liaison activities and information received about the physical education curriculum followed by pupils, but a significant negative relationship for primary teachers between the number of different secondary schools to which pupils' progress and knowledge about the key stage 3 schemes of work that Year 6 pupils will follow in their associated secondary schools. These results are discussed in relation to continuity and progression in physical education in the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools.     

Girls and Science: Does a core curriculum in primary school give cause for optimism?

The low numbers of students, particularly girls, pursuing science after the age of 16 continues to give cause for concern, despite the inclusion of science as a core subject in the curriculum of primary schools in England and Wales. This article explores the perceptions of primary pupils with regard to science since its introduction as a compulsory component of the curriculum. The findings tend to replicate those of earlier studies, indicating that primary pupils, both girls and boys, view science positively while at primary school and look forward to science at secondary school. However, results show that, within science, girls' and boys' preferences are different. Girls have greater preference for biological topics while boys demonstrate a wider range of interests. Furthermore, the introduction of the National Curriculum appears to have had negligible effect in broadening the interests of girls. It is argued that intervention strategies are needed in order to make all fields of science attractive to girls and that this should begin in the primary phase of education.     

论农村中学校内英语课程资源的开发策略

与其他学科的课程资源相比,农村地区中学英语课程资源相对比较稀缺,教师教学观念僵化,缺乏英语课程资源开发意识,而学生则主要以背诵方式来学习英语,其接触和使用英语的场所常局限于教室环境,学生的英语学习严重脱离日常生活实际。这背离了新的《英语课程标准》所倡导的＂拓展学生学用渠道＂理念。为了积极响应新课标的要求,现结合农村中学校内英语课程资源开发现状,探究农村中学校内英语课程资源的开发策略。     

Primary Teachers' thinking about the English National Curriculum for science: Autobiographies,warrants, and autonomy

Primary teachers, whether or not they have a specialized background in science, hold the key to understanding how science is presently working in primary schools. This paper examines their confidence and identity as science teachers in tandem with their views on the English National Curriculum and the warrants they give for those views. Data for this study were collected by in‐depth interviews of a small sample of primary teachers, setting their views in the context of their science‐related life histories. These are presented in three ways—by biographical sketches illuminating their self‐image as science teachers; by analysis of their views on the curriculum; and by analysis of the types of knowledge they used as warrants for their views. Analysis showed that their professional self‐image and their ‘science autobiographies’ were mutually validating. Where science teaching had become embedded into their perception of themselves as teachers, their critiques of the science curriculum and their desire for autonomy in its teaching could be shown to be consistent with their values © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 1043–1056, 2000     

新课改背景下高师院校师范教育中存在的问题与对策分析

新课改对中小学教师的专业素质提出了新要求。作为培养未来中小学教师重要基地的高师院校,却出现了一系列与新课改要求相脱节的严重问题。为此必须统一认识,重视新课改;调整课程设置;改革教学管理机制;加强高师院校教师培训;深化课堂教学改革;与中小学建立合作伙伴关系;借助信息多媒体技术和网络资源,扩大师生了解新课改的窗口。     

浅议新课改背景下高师院校的教学改革

新课改对中小学教师的专业素质提出了新要求,但作为培养未来中小学教师重要基地的高师院校,还存在着一系列与新课改要求相脱节的突出问题。为此,高师院校必须深化认识,主动适应新课改的要求,调整课程设置,改革教学管理机制,深化课堂教学改革,加强教学实习实践,增强师资培养的针对性。     

Challenges in embedding numeracy throughout the curriculum in three Queensland secondary schools

The Australian Curriculum identified seven General Capabilities, including numeracy, to be embedded in all learning areas. However, it has been left to individual schools to manage this. Whilst there is a growing body of literature about pedagogies that embed numeracy in various learning areas, there are few studies from the management perspective. A social constructivist perspective and a multiple case study approach were used to explore the actions of school managers and mathematics teachers in three Queensland secondary schools, in order to investigate how they meet the Australian Curriculum requirement to embed numeracy throughout the curriculum. The study found a lack of coordinated cross-curricular approaches to numeracy in any of the schools studied. It illustrates the difficulties that arise when teachers do not share the Australian Curriculum cross-curricular vision of numeracy. Schools and curriculum authorities have not acknowledged the challenges for teachers in implementing cross-curricular numeracy, which include: limited understanding of numeracy; a lack of commitment; and inadequate skills. Successful embedding of numeracy in all learning areas requires: the commitment and support of school leaders, a review of school curriculum documents and pedagogical practices, professional development of teachers, and adequate funding to support these activities.     

Science teachers' beliefs about curriculum design

Teacher beliefs about curriculum design affect the quality of science education in schools, but science researchers know little about the interrelation of beliefs about alternative curriculum designs. This article describes a quantitative study of secondary science teachers' beliefs about curriculum design. A 33-item Science Curriculum Orientation Inventory (SCOI) was developed to measure five distinct orientations to curriculum: academic, cognitive processes, societycentred, humanistic, and technological. Data were collected from 810 integrated science, chemistry, physics, and biology teachers in Hong Kong. A confirmatory factor analysis of teacher responses to the SCOI indicated that science teachers' beliefs about curriculum design had a hierarchical structure; the five distinct curriculum orientations were positively correlated, forming a second-order curriculum, meta-orientation. Physics teachers were less society-oriented than biology, integrated science and chemistry teachers, and integrated science teachers were more humanistic than physics teachers. Although science teachers' beliefs about any of the five alternative curriculum designs did not vary with their teaching experience, the difference between beliefs about the cognitive processes orientation and the humanistic orientation increased when teachers had gained more teaching experience. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

基于新课标理念的中小学艺术课程统整

课程统整是新课标理念下中小学艺术课程设计与实施的重要方式和途径。新课标理念下的中小学艺术课程统整具有促进课程有机融合,达成艺术核心素养提升;充分发挥主观能动性,持续优化艺术教师课程执行力;合理调动课程系统要素,助推艺术课程系统高效运行几方面的价值定位。基于新课标新理念的中小学艺术课程统整,需遵循“适应性专业知识”、艺术学科高阶思维和课程系统协同育人的逻辑。达成中小学艺术课程的有效统整、推进中小学艺术课程有效实施,需要采取以下三个方面的策略：明晰新课标理念,增强艺术课程统整意识;依据新课标课程整合取向,绘制中小学艺术课程统整框架;协同教师发展,提升艺术教师课程统整执行力。     

课程、大纲与核心大纲

英语新课程实施以来,其新的教育理念、课程设计方案,给我国的基础英语教育带来了诸多积极的变化。但是,教师们在肯定课程进步的同时,也反映了一些问题,如教材编者、教师和命题者对于教学目标的理解不完全一致,有些教学内容不适合部分学生,特别是农村地区的学生。从表面看,似乎这些问题与课程没有直接的关系,实际上,这些问题却反映出课程本身构念上可能存在的缺失。从教育公平性的角度审视课程设计,本文提出可以选择一种解决方案,即增加教学大纲,其中包括核心大纲与扩展大纲。     

A futures orientation in the Australian Curriculum: current levels of teacher interest,activity and support in Western Australia

The soon to be implemented Australian Curriculum aims to integrate a futures orientation across subject areas. Guidelines and support for this specific initiative are being finalized. Only a little is known about the current teaching of a futures orientation or of secondary teacher interest, understanding and support for this important but challenging direction. This initial study surveyed 115 teachers from twelve secondary schools in Western Australia and aims to provide a basis for implementing the futures oriented elements into the year 7 to 10 curriculum. Most questions of respondents related directly to elements of the Australian Curriculum’s cross-curriculum priority of sustainability and of the general capabilities; these were extended to include a general appraisal of teachers’ interest in broader global issues, their self-efficacy in pursuing their interests and their suggestions for curriculum support. In overview, this initial study has shown that many Western Australian teachers are very receptive to developing a futures orientation into their classrooms in keeping with the rationale in the new national curriculum. It provides a foundation for follow up studies, supporting existing school interest and exploring specific opportunities for enhancing a futures orientation. It raises the possibility of engaging further with highly motivated teachers and schools in implementing the futures orientation components of the Australian Curriculum through its cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities.     

小学科学课程:国际趋势与政策建议——基于10国课程标准的比较

我国小学科学课程标准实验稿颁布十余年来,纷争一直不断.研读国外小学科学课程标准文本,总结国外小学科学课程改革经验与发展趋势,有助于为我国标准的修订与完善提供借镜.综观国际经验,有关我国小学科学课程标准完善的建议主要为:完善课程目标维度,增加具体化的纵向目标;优化课程内容领域,合理设置课程模块;优化课程内容选择与组织,认真对待科学知识;优化课程内容呈现,指导教材编制;细化课程实施建议,为教师提供切实帮助;改进课程评价,制订具体可行的评价标准.     

An exploration of primary school teachers' understanding of art and the place of art in the primary school curriculum

Some research within developmental psychology shows a slow period of development in children's expressive drawings during the primary school years. Developmental researchers suggest that ‘educational factors’ could contribute to this dip in development but have not explored these factors. This study explores links between educational policy – in terms of the English National Curriculum – and the development of expression in child art. A Foucauldian style analysis of interviews is presented which investigates how ten primary school teachers working in two Staffordshire schools approach art. A specific concern is to explore how different understandings of art and teaching practices are shaped and managed by the curriculum. This allows links between the demands of the curriculum and the observed dip in expressive drawing development to be investigated.     

Comparing Two Inquiry Professional Development Interventions in Science on Primary Students’ Questioning and Other Inquiry Behaviours

Developing students’ skills to pose and respond to questions and actively engage in inquiry behaviours enables students to problem solve and critically engage with learning and society. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of providing teachers with an intervention in inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum in comparison to an intervention in non-inquiry pedagogy alongside inquiry science curriculum on student questioning and other inquiry behaviours. Teacher participants in the comparison condition received training in four inquiry-based science units and in collaborative strategic reading. The experimental group, the community of inquiry (COI) condition, received training in facilitating a COI in addition to training in the same four inquiry-based science units. This study involved 227 students and 18 teachers in 9 primary schools across Brisbane, Australia. The teachers were randomly allocated by school to one of the two conditions. The study followed the students across years 6 and 7 and students’ discourse during small group activities was recorded, transcribed and coded for verbal inquiry behaviours. In the second year of the study, students in the COI condition demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of procedural and substantive higher-order thinking questions and other inquiry behaviours than those in the comparison condition. Implementing a COI within an inquiry science curriculum develops students’ questioning and science inquiry behaviours and allows teachers to foster inquiry skills predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum. Provision of inquiry science curriculum resources alone is not sufficient to promote the questioning and other verbal inquiry behaviours predicated by the Australian Science Curriculum.     

Developing attitude to science education scales for use with primary teachers

This paper reports the development of attitudes to science and science teaching scales for primary teachers. The investigation is part of a project intended to improve pupil achievement in science in 16 English city schools. The baseline performance of the attitude scales is reported with 76 teachers, half of whom formed a control group. The 49-item attitudes to science teaching scale of Cronbach-alpha reliability 0.96 has sub-scales of practical science teaching and professionalism. The project teachers were less confident of teaching science than teaching the English language. They particularly lacked confidence in teaching physical processes, 'guided discovery' investigations and planning lessons within the National Curriculum as required in English schools. Attitude findings suggest appropriately focused in-service might be successful. Being a promoted teacher with some subject or administrative responsibility tends to lower certain attitudes to effective science teaching. This 'regression upon promotion effect' is speculated to be a consequence of the demands of the English school National Curriculum.