Research Project Presentation:
Teaching Project
Lisette Voûte
Teaching Project
1. Research
– Investigating the Current English School System
2. Observation
– Observing Teaching Styles & Comparison between Two Year 12 Classes
3. Teaching
- Becoming the Teacher
4. New A-Level Chemistry Criteria
- Researching the Changes, Ideology for the Changes & Whether it is a Success
5. Teacher’s Resource Pack
- A Teacher’s Resource on Green Chemistry for the new A-Level Specifications
Aims
TO PROMOTE CHEMISTRY IN SCHOOLS
This was done by:
• Discovering today’s requirements for teaching styles and
students’ learning needs
• Encouraging pupils to study chemistry or a science subject
further
• Investigating the changes to the QCA A-Level Chemistry
Criteria, the ideology for the changes and whether the new
criteria is a success
• Creating a teacher’s resource pack to develop their teaching
and the pupils’ interest
Motive
In the last 10 years:
• The Percentage of UCAS Chemistry Applicants
has declined to 0.15% from 0.20%
• 30 UK Universities have closed down their
Chemistry departments
Introduction
• Comprehensive co-educational, non-denominational secondary
school in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
• 1700 Students
– 350 Sixth Form Students
• Opened in 1965
• Sixth Form on a Separate Site
• 799.1 A-Level Points
GCSE
59% of pupils obtained 5 passes
GCSE Science
63% of pupils obtained 2 or more passes
A-Level
97% pass rate
A-Level
45% achieving A and B
Research
In order to:
• Ensure full preparedness and that lessons given
were effective
• Effectively observe and compare different
teaching styles within the school
• Maximise the value and utility of the Teacher’s
Pack through incorporating a range of teaching
styles
Research
• School system - what is required at Primary & Secondary Level
• The National Curriculum
– Introduced in 1988 through the Education Reform Act
– Requires pupils to pass 4 key stages
– Aims to make pupils become
“Successful Learners, Confident Individuals and Responsible Citizens”
• Current GCSE Science Specifications & Assessment Structure
• Teaching Styles and Types of Learning
Howard Gardner formulated a list of ‘seven intelligences’
Mike Hughes suggested there were three main types of learner:
– Visual - Learn best by seeing
– Auditory – Learn best by hearing
– Physical – Learn best by doing
• Teaching Resources
• Outreach Events
– Demonstrator in Year 10/11 Organic Chemistry Practical: “Extracting Caffeine from Tea
Leaves”
– Primary School Lecture: “Fizz, Foam and Flubber”
Observation
•
•
•
•
•
•
First 2 Weeks
8 Lessons a week
5 Different Teachers (one French Lesson)
16 Hours
Throughout the Year: Teaching Styles
Year 12 Classes Comparison
– One teacher was mostly auditory and some visual
– One teacher was an equal mixture of physical, auditory and
visual
Teaching
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
14 Weeks
6 Classes
4 Teachers
Years 11, 12 and 13
84 Hours/5040 Minutes
Lessons
Magic Show
Lunchtime Lecture on Chemistry at University
Remedial Classes
New A-Level Chemistry
QCA Criteria
Researched
• Changes Made
• Philosophy Behind the Changes
• Whether the new Criteria is a success
• Why School’s Chose their Specification
New A-Level Chemistry
QCA Criteria
Researched
• Changes Made
• Philosophy Behind the Changes
• Whether the new Criteria is a success
• Why School’s Chose their Specification
New A-Level Chemistry
QCA Criteria
Methodology
• Meeting at old school
• Masters Students Questionnaire
• Inset Day
– Interview Teachers in Chemistry Department
• Interviewed Colin Chambers, AQA Chief & Chair
Examiner
• Questionnaires
Key Results
These results
are preliminary
1.1 - Most Significant Changes made to the QCA criteria
80%
75%
70%
63%
63%
60%
Percentage
50%
40%
30%
20%
13%
13%
10%
0%
Increased practical work
requirements
Increased focus on
Environmental/ Green
Chemistry
Introduction of How Science Introduction of “Stretch and
Works
Challenge”
Other
Ideology for the Changes
AQA Chief Examiner Interview:
• Trying to increase the link between the course and real
world contexts
– So pupils know what questions to ask when faced with ‘real
world issues’ and understand them better
– “Get them to have an educated vote”
• Introduction of concepts relevant to current social and
political issues e.g. environmental/green chemistry
• To better discriminate between candidates
Ideology for the Changes
70%
63%
63%
60%
50%
Percentage of Respondents
50%
40%
38%
30%
25%
25%
20%
13%
10%
0%
To make the
To make the
To make it more
To provide an
criteria up to date criteria up to date aligned to the new increased focus on
with current
with current political
GCSE
the context and
chemistry
and social issues
specifications
applications of the
concepts taught
Potential Reasons
To increase the
number of
scientists
progressing on to
university
To better
discriminate
between
candidates
Other
Green Chemistry Teacher’s
Pack
• Developed a resource on a new topic in the A-Level
Specifications
• Went through each of the specifications (OCR A and
B, AQA and Edexcel) and found what was knowledge
was required of the candidates in terms of anything to
do with green chemistry.
• Background information on the subjects for teachers'
knowledge
• Lesson plans on the different topics
• Resources & References
Further Work
• Website “CHEEP” or “PEEP” to include
information on green chemistry and recycling
• Expand teaching styles comparison
• Expand questionnaire to more counties
• Repeat research on whether the new
specifications are a success after a year of
teaching and examination results
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for their
support, effort and contribution to my project:
• Tim Harrison and Dr. Smith
• Rachel Hopwood and the Staff at The Castle School
• Colin Chambers, AQA Chief Examiner & Chairman
• Dr. David Read, University of Southampton
• Fellow UAS Students for their support