David Symington

Drawing during science activity in the primary school

The project reported in this paper was designed to do a number of things. First there has been an exploration of the purposes which could be achieved by involving children in drawing in junior primary science classes. Second, the study involved the exploration of teaching strategies which could facilitate the achievement of those purposes, this exploration being classroom based whilst meeting the requirements for research.

The Usefulness of a Science Degree: The “lost voices” of science trained professionals

This paper reports a study of science graduates who are employed in positions outside their discipline specialisation. The research was designed to uncover the reasons for them choosing to study science at university, the competencies they utilise in their work and their lives, and how these relate to their undergraduate education in science. The study is seen as important in that already about one‐half of science graduates are in such positions and it is argued that there is a need in scientific and technologically based societies to have a greater representation of such people in decision‐making positions in government and industry. The directions for the science degree that can be drawn from the data gathered are congruent with those arising from other relevant studies. That is, attention should be paid to widely used skills, such as communication and problem‐solving, and to developing an understanding of science within its social and ethical context. An argument is mounted for considering the way the science degree is presented to potential students and to the general public.

Community leaders' views of the purposes of science in the compulsory years of schooling

Accepting that scientific literacy is the primary purpose of science in the compulsory years of schooling leads to the question ‘What does scientific literacy mean in a particular community?’ This paper reports a study designed to provide some insight into that question. Data were gathered through interviews with a sample of community leaders, in the state of Victoria, Australia, about their views of the purposes of school science. The data reveal that, although most of those interviewed had no formal post‐school science education, their life experiences provided them with useful insights into the question raised. The wisdom of such people could make an important contribution during the initial stages of curriculum development in science. As people successful in their own fields, the study participants were lifelong learners. Consequently, their responses suggest that a primary focus of school science must be to provide students with a framework that will enable them to continue learning beyond schooling. This is not just a matter of knowledge or skills, but of feeling comfortable with science. The methods used provide a useful example of how views about education can be gathered from thoughtful, non‐expert community members. In this instance, they allowed a reconceptualization of the purposes of school science. These community leaders argued for an education for ‘science in life’ rather than an education about science.

What do you need to know to teach science in the primary school

ConclusionPrimary teachers will continue to be confronted with topics about which they themselves may not share the understandings of experts in the area. They are surely not alone there. Secondary and tertiary science teachers who have more extensive backgrounds find themselves in the same situation.Increasing the number of areas in which primary teachers share the understandings of scientists would be of value. However the data of this study suggest that it would also be worthwhile to focus attention on the strategies and understandings they may use to increase their familiarity with scientists understandings of natural phenomena. The Interactive Teaching Approach (Biddulph and Osborne, 1984) offers an appropriate model for such activity.

Changes in Primary Science Over the Past Decade: Implications for the Research Community.

During the early 1980s in Australia there was a new wave of expectancy about primary science as new curricula were being considered or introduced and research findings were beginning to identify new directions for both teaching and research. In an expression of this, six authors were invited to present papers to a symposium on primary science held in 1984 to address the question: “What do you believe should be the state of primary science (in Australia) in 1995 and what are the steps which need to be taken to achieve the desired state?” This study set out to identify what had been said at that time, to compare that with actual developments, and to identify possible future directions for research. Relevant publications includingResearch in Science Education were analysed as a means of comparing what had happened since 1984 with the hopes of those authors. It was only in the latter half of the decade that some of the scenarios painted by the authors in 1984 began to emerge. A key implication for the research community drawn from the analysis shows that science education researchers have tended to neglect working in collaboration with education departments and authorities for the improvement of primary science education.

Lack of background in science: Is it likely to always adversely affect the classroom performance of primary teachers in science lessons?

An issue which emerges almost every time science in the primary school is discussed is whether the limited scientific background of the vast majority of primary teachers spells doom for primary science. A number of researchers have attempted to provide a data base for such discussions (e.g. Crossland, 1972; Henry, 1977; Perkes, 1975). There are several reasons why no clear cut conclusions have emerged from this research. These include the difficulty of developing valid measures of the variables concerned and the diversity of the primary science programmes currently in use.

The treatment of science discipline knowledge in primary teacher education

Whilst there is general agreement that primary teachers have a rather limited understanding of science, as Symington and Mackay (Note 1) have shown there is no universally accepted view amongst teacher educators in Victoria about the steps that need to be taken to improve their subject matter competence in science. This paper addresses the issue by taking a topic which is widely included in primary science programs, namely floating and sinking, and asking what knowledge primary teachers should have to enable them to handle the topic in a primary classroom in a way consistent with constructivist ideas. The paper will also address the issue of how that knowledge could be assessed.

Techniques used by primary school pupils in drawings during science activities

ConclusionIt is apparent from the data that pupils use a wide variety of techniques to aid the clarity of their drawings and that they are able to discriminate between them.The data support the value of the teaching method used, where drawings were used as the principal means of communication between the children.The study has shown how, without any teacher instruction on drawing techniques, the children have been able to identify and adapt ones which they see as meeting their requirements.The study has established one teaching method which, following further investigation, could be presented to teachers as a useful strategy during science lessons.

Purposes achieved by drawing during science activities

ConclusionThe data presented in this paper relate to the question of whether drawing activities met the process purposes for which they were designed. The choice of context in which the data were gathered and the methodology employed have shaped the form of answer which can be given to the question.The data do support the assertion that involvement in drawing activities can encourage pupils to observe phenomena more closely and can stimulate questions. Further exploration of the issue using other topics, currently being carried out, will increase the confidence with which the findings of this study can be more generally applied.

Parental involvement in a science program

ConclusionThe response of the parents to the request for yet more of their time to take part in the evaluation indicates the commitment of these parents to their involvement in the life of the school. This in itself argues for the effectiveness of their participation. One would hope that the nature of the evaluation in which the evaluator sought to establish not just what they gave to, but also what they gained from, the program would contribute to them feeling valued members of the school community.