STEM news

A survey published on 26 March by the national network of Science Learning Centres has concluded that curriculum pressure and over-assessment is limiting the amount of time spent on vital classroom practicals.

Following a 2008 publication by the Science Community Representing Education (SCORE) which suggested practical work in science classes could be improved, the Science Learning Centres undertook a survey of teachers and technicians to ask for their views of practical work in science in their schools. Some 1339 teachers and technicians responded to the survey which ran during February 2010.

Professor Sir John Holman, Director of the National Science Learning Centre, said: "Learning science without practicals is the equivalent of studying literature without books. Experimental evidence is the mainstay of science and the UK has a very strong tradition of scientific practical work in schools. It concerns me that, for a range of reasons, many teachers currently feel unable to dedicate as much time to practical work in the classroom as they would like to and today's students therefore have fewer opportunities for exploratory learning. Activities such as ripple tanks, dissection and microbiology, which were once to be found in school science labs up and down the country, are becoming endangered species.

"While it is certainly not the case that schools are being forced to abandon all practical work, I am alarmed by this trend and struck by the obstacles that teachers say they are facing. Over-assessment emerges very clearly in our research as one of the main factors inhibiting teachers from carrying out engaging, purposeful and effective practical work in science. We echo the call in the Science and Learning Expert Group's recent report, Science and Mathematics Secondary Education for the 21st Century, for a major reduction in the burden of summative assessment at GCSE and A level."

Key findings from the survey:

• The attitude of teachers and technicians towards practical work in science was very positive overall with most arguing that it is an integral part of scientific learning.
• The main purposes of doing practical work in science according to respondents were: helping learners to understand scientific concepts (88 percent); making phenomena more real i.e. linking theory to practice (84 percent); helping learners to develop skills e.g. observation, using equipment (82 percent); motivating learners (81 percent); and helping learners to develop understanding of scientific enquiry (80 percent).
• A large proportion of respondents carried out practical work in science frequently with most KS3 teachers saying it comprised at least 40 percent of their teaching in a week. However the responses tended to show a downward trend in the amount of practical work undertaken by pupils as they moved from KS3 through KS4 to post-16 science.
• The percentage of teachers undertaking practical work for more than 40 percent of their teaching time per week was: KS3: 63 percent, KS4: 43 percent, and Post-16: 28 percent.
• When asked for the main factors that hindered teachers from undertaking practical work during a typical term, the most common threads were: curriculum pressures (69 percent); assessment demands too frequent (41 percent); poor learner behaviour (29 percent); lack of funding for, or availability of suitable equipment (26 percent); and lack of time to research suitable ideas for practical work (21 percent).
• Around 4 percent of respondents said that they did not feel hindered from undertaking practical work, and only 10 percent felt that health and safety considerations were a limiting factor.
• The top factors respondents thought contributed to their most effective practical science lessons included: the availability of quality equipment and good laboratory layout (33 percent); learners being engaged and demonstrating good behaviour (23 percent); enough time to plan and prepare beforehand and time to carry out the work (21 percent); support from technicians and teaching assistants (20 percent); clear purpose for the practical and strong links to theory and relevance to the topic or curriculum (20 percent).
• When asked what additional support they felt would help them make their use of practical work more effective over two thirds of respondents thought smaller class sizes would make a difference. The ideal class size for most KS3 and KS4 teachers was 11-20 pupils (reported by 80 percent of KS3 and KS4 teachers).
• Some 45 percent of teachers indicated that they wanted more professional development in science; with 30 percent specifying CPD relating to subject knowledge and new ideas for practical work and 15 percent wanted CPD relating to classroom management during practical work.