Karen Kerr

Children’s perceptions of primary science assessment in England and Wales

This study builds on and contributes to work on assessment of children in primary school, particularly in science. Previous research has examined primary science assessment from different standpoints, but no studies have specifically addressed childrens perspectives. This article provides additional insight into issues surrounding childrens assessment in primary school and how the assessment of science might develop in England after the science SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) were abolished in 2009. Some research suggests that primary science assessment via SATs is a major reason for the observed decline in childrens engagement with science in upper primary and lower secondary school. The analytic focus on engaging children as coresearchers to assist in the process of gathering informed views and interpreting findings from a large sample of childrens views enables another contribution. The study, based on a survey of 1000 children in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales, reveals that despite being assessed under two different regimes (high-stakes national tests in England and moderated teacher assessment in Wales), childrens views of science assessment are remarkably consistent. Most appreciate the usefulness of science assessment and value frequent, non-SATs testing for monitoring/improving science progress. There was a largely negative impact, however, of science assessment on childrens well-being, particularly due to stress. The paper demonstrates that children provide an important perspective on assessment and that including their views can improve policy-making in relation to primary science assessment.

Comparing children's and student teachers' ideas about science concepts

Children and teachers may not think in the same way about particular science concepts. Such parallel lines of thought can compound childrens confusion and misunderstanding as they learn science at primary school. The situation could be more acute when student teachers are teaching science, because of their limited experience of considering childrens ideas. This paper investigates childrens and student teachers’ ideas about certain science concepts: ‘animal’, ‘flower’, ‘living’, ‘force’ and ‘energy’. The ideas and understandings of 96 children and 168 student teachers were explored. Results showed that the student teachers and children had similar ideas about ‘flower’ and ‘animal’, whereas they evidenced very different responses to ‘living’, ‘energy’ and ‘force’. Implications for classroom practice are considered.

Children’s attitudes to primary science

This chapter reviews research into children’s attitudes toward primary science over the past 40 years. The authors discuss, synthesize, and critique methods and findings from studies to date. We look to the future and consider new directions in attitudinal research work with children including participatory approaches. Relevant literature in relation to primary children’s attitudes to science is also discussed. The literature considered reflects two major aspects of science: children’s attitudes to the science topics taught, and their interest in and enjoyment of science lessons.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluation of an After-School Prosocial Behavior Program in an Area of Socioeconomic Disadvantage

A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the effects of a prosocial behavior after-school program called Mate-Tricks for 9- and 10-year-old children and their parents living in an area of significant socioeconomic disadvantage. The children were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 220) or a control group (n = 198). Children were compared on measures of prosocial behavior, antisocial behavior, and related outcome measures. The trial found adverse effects on four outcomes among the intervention group compared to the control group: antisocial behavior increased on two different measures (d = 0.20) and (d = 0.18), child-reported liberal parenting increased (d = 0.16), and child reported authoritarian parenting also increased (d = 0.20). In addition, parental participation was significantly associated with several program outcomes. It was concluded, that group based after-school behavior programs may have the potential to cause iatrogenic effects and must be designed, piloted, evaluated and implemented with a high degree of care.

‘It Certainly Taught Us How to Change Our Minds on Teaching Science’: Coteaching in Continuing Professional Development

This chapter examines a model of coteaching in which student teachers and classroom teachers learn together first, for example, on a continuing professional development (CPD) programme and then implement that learning together as coteachers in the classroom. Teachers from 25 primary schools (covering all areas of Northern Ireland) and the student teachers, with whom they would be placed, attended a CPD course aimed at enhancing creativity, thinking and enquiry in primary science learning and teaching. The focus was on expanding teacher and student teacher agency by empowering them to involve children more in their own learning. Research shows that primary teachers who are not qualified in science tend to keep control of the knowledge and to discourage children from asking questions because of a lack of confidence in their own subject knowledge. Many of the activities in the CPD workshops were of the ‘black box’ type with no ‘correct’ answers. Data collection incorporated focus groups, individual interviews and confidence/attitudinal audits with teachers, student teacher and children. A sample of coteaching lessons was video recorded and examined together with the reflection and presentation workshops. The findings showed that the combination of relevant and exciting workshop activities designed to empower teachers to enable children to ‘lead’ their science learning, and the coteaching of science in the classroom, changed the way these teachers approached their science teaching. The success of this work was a result of the solidarity built up by group members learning together, expansion of teacher and student teacher agency through coteaching, which helped them increase children’s interest and engagement with science. A specific strength of this approach lies in its sustainability. One of the main issues with CPD is sustainability. Very often teachers find it difficult to implement new ideas and approaches and highlight lack of time, existing curricular pressures and lack of support as problems. In the current programme, we address the issue of sustainability by incorporating science student teachers in the CPD. The student teachers provided specific support in terms of science expertise in coteaching, coplanning (which helped address issues around lack of time) and co-reflection. Both teachers and student teachers developed professionally as they made sustainable changes to their teaching approaches and how they think about teaching science.