Ideas and evidence research project

Science Enrichment Project

There is a concern, held by many science teachers and others involved in science education more widely, that the Ideas and evidence aspect within the Science National Curriculum Programme of Study: Scientific Enquiry is currently underdeveloped in secondary schools. Informal discussions suggest that many pupils and some teachers find this aspect of the curriculum 'difficult'. In the case of teachers this is possibly because it is a relatively recent addition to the programme of study and is not yet extensively represented in science textbooks or teachers’ guides. It may well be that the perception of 'difficulty' held by teachers causes a shift in their level of confidence when teaching. This is transmitted to the pupils who pick it up and interpret it as conveying signals similar to those they receive when the work is more challenging. So a sense of 'discomfort' surrounds the relatively few lessons that focus on scientific ideas and evidence. As a result, trainee teachers have only limited opportunities to observe experienced and confident teachers teaching ideas and evidence, so they have no strong foundations on which to build their own, albeit limited, opportunities to become involved in first-hand teaching experience.

The aspiration is that the experiences shared and ideas generated from this project, which was located within the context of initial teacher training, will help to improve this situation. The experiences and ideas also have the potential to contribute to the professional development of more experienced teachers of science if they are disseminated more widely.

The project drew upon the work that had already been done to enhance pupils’ learning of Scientific Enquiry within the science strand of the Key Stage 3 National Strategy. However, its methodology was, initially, specific to the needs of trainee teachers. It focused on the work of trainees in schools linked to the ITT partnerships of five universities (University of Cambridge; Institute of Education, University of London; Keele University; Kings College, University of London; University of York) and it included active contributions from school-based tutors (mentors), other science teachers and LEA Science consultants.

Innovative approaches to enhancing trainee teachers' knowledge, understanding and professional skills were developed and underpinned by realistic expectations of what can be achieved within a relatively small-scale project. 

The project outcomes are being disseminated on the Key Stage 3 Strategy website as case studies and within published resources, produced as a result of additional funding provided by the Science Enhancement Programme part of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.