MANAGING ICT MANAGING ICT
Headteacher
Tough
Julie Rose
argues that
schools must
invest in multiple strategies
to engage students with
times
science, with ICT having a
crucial role to play
Y 2014, the government intends to
B
double the number of students taking
triple science. In order to achieve
this goal, schools need to implement
a variety of integrated strategies to
get students more enthused about
these subjects and to value their
importance.
Currently, only 8.5 per cent of secondary school
students opt for triple science GCSE (biology, chemistry
and physics) and a recent report from the University of
Buckingham found that almost one in four secondary A scientific
schools in England no longer have any specialist
physics teachers.
Natural curiosity
At Everest Community College, we believe the aim
of science education is to stimulate students’ natural
curiosity about the subject and give them the skills and
knowledge to answer many of the questions they ask
approach
about life and the environment in which they live.
Developing scientific literacy is important because
it provides opportunities for students to grow into well-
rounded citizens and enables them to develop values
and make decisions about important social issues. science more fun so students want to learn. As soon as 21st Century Science syllabus and taking the lead in a achieved the single science award and 61 per cent
Scientific knowledge is an important basis for they learn a little, it becomes infectious and they want county-wide project to improve key stage 3 attainment. achieved the double award.
decision-making in today’s technologically advanced to learn more. The curriculum is focused on problem-solving and This term, we have begun offering the separate
world and enables students to make informed decisions We use our voting system to run warm-up quizzes inquiry-based science aimed at developing personal sciences, as well as supporting the less able learners
about how their society should develop. Scientific at the beginning of science classes, establishing what learning and thinking skills. with our Science+ programme. SecEd
inquiry requires creativity, openness to new ideas, and students have understood from previous lessons. This Although the college is in a socially deprived area,
a willingness to evaluate evidence with intellectual has proven to be a particularly useful teaching aid for the exam results have steadily improved over the last • Julie Rose is head of Everest Community College in
honesty and integrity. topics such as the rock cycle or the brain, which have five years. In 2008, 36 per cent of GCSE students Basingstoke, which uses the Qwizdom voting system.
We are fortunate to have a science department limited scope for experiments.
which is currently over-staffed with specialist teachers We can pose multiple-choice questions such as:
in all science disciplines, including biology, chemistry, “What is the function of the medulla?” Students
earth science and physics. then “vote” for an answer, for example – A, control
We have special provision for our gifted and talented of breathing, heart and blood activity; B, speech; C,
students who are supplied with regular opportunities for auditory; D, visual association.
enrichment beyond the classroom; this has recently A quiz usually works better than note-taking or
involved a “rocket day” – a workshop where students textbooks to get the class going, as it opens discussion
could learn about the science and engineering behind and does not feel like hard work.
rocketry. One of our year 11s achieved below his potential
Students learned about the forces and factors that when he first joined the college in year 8. In year 10
affect rocket flight and used computer simulations of he averaged Ds and Es for the core subjects of maths,
possible scenarios to aid their design. They then built science and English.
and launched their own rockets made from cardboard Now, armed with confidence, he is aiming for A
tubes, foam and plastics. Students were then able to grades for his GCSEs. If we can get students to enjoy
assess and evaluate their design and relate it back to science then they are more likely to achieve higher
their computer simulations. grades, and, more importantly, understand each topic
more thoroughly.
The role of technology
We now have state-of-the-art facilities in a new
It is viral
£27 million development as part of a regeneration project We have to consider teachers’ varying levels of ability;
in Basingstoke. The building contains five laboratories, some are IT savvy whereas others are not.
a dedicated ICT room, wireless connectivity, laptops, To overcome this, we offer a top-down approach to
visualisers, and interactive whiteboards throughout the training. When new technology is introduced we train a
school. The resources support the department’s belief in group of teachers, each from different departments, who
using modern technology to bring science to life. then train their team to use it for relevant subjects.
We have also introduced an interactive learner New technology is viral – one teacher that uses it
response system into a range of year groups across effectively can inspire others to do so.
the curriculum to add an element of enjoyment and Our science department constantly reviews the
interactivity. course provision to make topics more accessible for our
Schools must make complex subjects such as students. This has recently led to the team following the
Ideas for using voting systems
Warm-up quizzes at the start of a science lesson can identify what students have
understood from previous lessons and stimulate students' inquiring minds. The fun
element of interactive quizzes will help even the most disengaged students to enjoy the
subject.
Graphs of quiz results can be displayed on an interactive whiteboard or viewed
privately on a laptop to show how many answered correctly or incorrectly, allowing the
teacher to revisit topics that require more attention.
Hopefully, the results from the ‘voting’ typically provoke discussion, encouraging
students to interact with each other.
Being able to assess students’ progress very quickly and then change the lesson
mid-way as and when required is very important to achieve Assessment for Learning,
whereby students are assessed on what they have actually understood. Instant feedback is
fundamental to helping teachers tailor lessons around the quiz results and also to pinpoint
areas for improvement.
Finally, students are less disruptive when they have to focus on a quiz – they prefer it
to exercise books as it does not feel like such hard work to them! Students appreciate the
investment in technology and the effort it takes for teachers to prepare it for them, so
they tend to show respect and co-operation.
SecEd • November 5 2009 11
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