Nigel Skinner

The National Assessment in Science at Key Stage 3 in England and Wales and its Impact on Teaching and Learning

The development of a framework for the content and assessment of National Curriculum science in England and Wales, following the 1988 Education Reform Act, is described, with a particular emphasis on assessment at the end of Key Stage 3 (14-year-old pupils). The University of Exeter evaluations of Key Stage 3 science assessments in 1995 and 1996 are outlined and the findings concerning the reliability and validity of the testing are presented. The views of science teachers on the impact of this assessment on teaching and learning are summarised, with particular reference to the structure, delivery and interpretation of the National Curriculum, the setting of pupils, continuity and progression, the preparation of pupils for the tests and teacher assessment.

Developing a curriculum for initial teacher education using a situated learning perspective

This paper argues that the implications of the concept of situated learning are important when developing a curriculum for initial teacher education (ITE). It describes and analyses the use of a model of ITE designed to stimulate discussions promoting the development of professional craft knowledge situated mainly in schools and to connect these with a wider research‐based understanding of educational issues situated mainly in the context of university departments. Findings from a study of trainee teachers following a one‐year postgraduate ITE programme based on this model indicate that it did help trainees to develop professional craft knowledge. However, socio‐cultural differences between the school and university contexts made it difficult for trainees to translate ideas introduced in the university into their school‐based practice. The implications of these findings for developing the model and for ITE in general are discussed.

The gender gap and discriminating power in the National Curriculum Key Stage three science assessments in England and Wales

Data from a large sample of year 9(13-14years) students taking the national Key Stage 3 science tests in England and Wales were used to explore gender differences in science achievement. The most pronounced gender differences, which were in favour of males, were found in the higher level papers taken by more able students, with the largest gender gaps occurring in physics questions. Using separate male and female discrimination indices, it was found that the more discriminating questions tended to exhibit larger gender gaps in favour of males.

An action research study designed to implement student negotiation to improve speaking classroom practice in Turkey

This paper reports the second stage of an action research study designed to improve the effectiveness of speaking classes through negotiating the lesson contents with students. The data were collected through interviews, questionnaires and observations as a way of eliciting students’ views. The research, conducted in an English language teaching department at a university in Turkey, comprised eight weekly-based interventions that involved planning, action, observation, and reflection, in which students were given a voice and classroom activities were designed accordingly. Student negotiation allowed for the identification of both structural and affective factors influencing the quality of speaking classes. The teacher’s roles in activities, the number of students in group work activities, the level of control in speaking activities, and the role of input were found to be issues worth considering in designing speaking classes. Issues such as finding the activity ‘interesting’ and ‘useful’, ‘feeling comfortable’ and ‘being competitive’ also influenced the effectiveness of activities. Involving students in this action research study promoted positive attitudes towards classes since students reported feeling valued and important.

Dialogic Science Education for Diversity

This chapter argues that a dialogic understanding of the nature of science should lead to a dialogic approach to science education. This argument is combined with a description of a dialogic approach to science education developed in the context of a large European Commission funded international project called ‘science education for diversity’. The project surveyed school students aged 10–14 and their teachers in Malaysia, India, Lebanon, Turkey, the Netherlands and the UK and developed a framework for the design of education in the context of diversity in science education. This approach to education is called ‘dialogic’ both because it is about responding to the diverse voices of students without prejudging the nature of that diversity and because it is about teaching for dialogue, where the quality of dialogue is understood as being central to science.

An action research study into the role of student negotiation in enhancing perceived student engagement during English speaking classes at university level in Turkey

Abstract A major issue in English language teaching in Turkey and other monolingual countries is the teaching of spoken English. This article reports the initial and final stages of an action research study which used student negotiation to enhance student engagement in speaking classes. The research was conducted in the English Language Teaching Department of a university in Turkey and involved the provision of student-negotiated speaking classes for one term during which qualitative and quantitative data collected from students through questionnaires on a weekly basis informed the design of the speaking activities. The results of content analysis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed that student negotiation promoted student engagement through providing speaking classes appropriate to students’ needs and interests, which resulted in more positive perceived speaking ability and greater willingness to communicate. This study demonstrates the significance of student negotiation in speaking classes and has implications for enhancing student engagement in speaking classroom activities.

Educating New Secondary School Physics Teachers

In terms of structure, initial teacher education (ITE) in England is complex. Most new teachers who intend to work in the secondary sector (teaching 11–18 year old students) have obtained a first degree in their specialist subject or a closely aligned subject. They then follow a one year Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course which provides insight into educational theory, into the range of effective ways of teaching key concepts in their subject, into non-subject-specific aspects of the role of the teacher, and into educational systems and current government initiatives in education.

The timing of life: recent developments in our understanding of the genetic basis of circadian rhythms

Recent advances in genetic engineering techniques have provided researchers with new tools for investigating circadian rhythms. Much is now known about the molecular genetics of rhythms. As a consequence, researchers are beginning to understand the biochemical ‘clockwork’ which underlies these rhythms. Some of the most exciting recent discoveries are outlined in this paper.

The Socio-Cultural Contexts of Science Curriculum Reform in the State of Kuwait

In 2008 the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Kuwait began the reform of the science curriculum in schools at all academic stages: primary (grades 1–5), intermediate (6–9) and secondary (10–12). The new science curriculum was adapted from an original curriculum which was designed and published by the US company Pearson-Scott Foreman.