ATSE/NAIGS Joint Summer Conference 2014‘Supporting Professional Learning’:

the Conference for Expert Science Educators

Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th July 2014

at the Fielder Centre, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts.

Sessions will include a varied programme of presentations, seminars, and workshops, and will bring together leading

researchers, tutors, education advisers and strategists from key institutions and organisations to offer ATSE and NAIGS

members a stimulating update on the main developments, issues and research in science education.

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Physics Tutor Update:

Practical work and the new curriculum

Tuesday 22nd April 2014

Ofsted, 21 Nov 2013: Maintaining curiosity: a survey into science education in schools

Recommendations• The Department for Education (DfE) and The Office

of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) should: – ensure that qualifications include assessment of

the skills needed for scientific enquiry.

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Ofsted recommendations (cont.) • …….opportunities for illustrative and investigative scientific

enquiry were limited, and so was the achievement of students. [Students] achieved their GCSE grades but not the science practical skills they needed at the next stage. Sixth-form teachers told inspectors that this lack of practical skill is revealed starkly for many students at A level, as they try to catch up with the demands of accurate, individual practical and experimental work.

• A small but important minority of secondary schools had limited laboratory space, forcing science lessons into ordinary classrooms. This was the case in two brand-new schools that had been built without regard for the needs of investigative science. This limited the amount of practical work that could be planned and also eliminated opportunities for teachers and students to illustrate new ideas that emerged spontaneously through class discussion

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GCSE and A level science reform timeline• New science GCSEs to be introduced (for 1st

teaching) in 2016, and 1st examined in 2018• New AS and A levels to be introduced (for 1st

teaching) in 2015, and 1st examined in 2017– Maths and Further maths not until 2016

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Who has been doing what regarding A level?• http://ofqual.gov.uk/qualifications-and-assessments/qualification-reform/a-level-reform/

• Prof Smith report to Ofqual July 2013Physics, category 2 (minor changes)– Resolve issues about assessment of practical

skills– Exemplify mathematical skills and agree on

assessment weighting– Work with other sciences to agree assessment

objective weightings– Resolve tensions with emerging physics GCSE

• The A Level Content Advisory Board (ALCAB) • Subject panels in Maths, MFL, Geography

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What we’ve [Ofqual] decided about assessing sciences at A level • Students will carry out practical work (it will be a

content requirement for the qualification). • They will get a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ grade for this

practical work, which will be separate from their grade for the written exam. – Exam boards will set out requirements for

practical skills. Each student will need to carry out a minimum of 12 practical activities. The written exams will include questions in the context of these, and other, practical activities. To get good marks, students will need to show knowledge and understanding of the experiments that they have gained through doing them.

– http://ofqual.gov.uk/news/gcse-a-level-as-qualification-updates-ofqual/

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Leading scientists attack end of link between A-level grades and practical skills• Ofqual says it has worked with higher education to

identify 12 practical activities for each of the three separate sciences that pupils will be required to carry out during their two year A-level courses. 

• But of the six universities that responded to the regulator’s consultation, only one agreed with the plan.

• Ms Stacey said that schools would have to keep a log of all practical activities completed and that exam boards would carry out “live checks” on schools to moderate the work.

• http://news.tes.co.uk/b/news/2014/04/09/leading-scientists-oppose-a-level-lab-work-change.aspx

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Responses:• http://

www.score-education.org/media/14546/score%20response%20to%20a-level%20announcement%20final.pdf ASE, IoP, RS, RSC, SoB

• http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/british-science-association/news/keep-science-science-levels

• http://sciencecampaign.org.uk/?p=13927 CaSE• http://

www.sciencecouncil.org/content/essential-uk-economy-practical-skills-are-heart-levels CEO Diana Garman – driving test analogy

• http://www.icheme.org/media_centre/news/2014/skills-undermined-by-science-a-level-changes.aspx

• http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2014/WTP056222.htm • http://www.gatsby.org.uk/~/

media/Files/Education/Practical%20Science%20Policy%20Note%20Addendum.ashx Suggestions for practical assessment

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10 April 2014: Ofqual letter to Prof. Lord Robert Winston • The content for the new A levels…….require students for the

new syllabuses to carry out experimental and investigative activities…...

• Some of the practical skills ………will then be assessed indirectly in written examinations. To get good marks in their A level examination, students will have to show knowledge and understanding of the experiments that they have gained through doing them.

• Skills that require direct assessment, such as making and recording observations, and safely using instruments to dissect an animal organ, will be assessed directly by teachers. These assessments will be made during the minimum of 12 practical activities that each student will have to carry out during their A level course. Exam boards are presently developing the assessment criteria for these skills. Those students who show that they have developed these practical skills to a suitable level will receive a separate grade for them on their certificate.

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Ofqual, 9 April 2014In a package of announcements today, Ofqual: • Confirms assessment arrangements for new A

levels in: the sciences (biology, chemistry, physics)………– to be introduced for first teaching in 2015

• Confirms the regulatory arrangements for new AS levels

• Confirms assessment arrangements and structure of GCSEs in geography, and history and confirms intention to re-consult on assessment arrangements for GCSEs in the science subjects

• http://ofqual.gov.uk/news/gcse-a-level-as-qualification-updates-ofqual/

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[GCSE] Sciences (biology, chemistry, physics and double award science) – to be taught from 2016• In response to the consultation, a number of people said

that if only 10 per cent of the marks were allocated to practical assessments the importance of practical skills would be devalued……

• In light of the concerns about our initial proposal for GCSE science skills and the developments in A level science, we have decided to do further work and consult again before deciding how practical science skills should be assessed in GCSEs. As new science GCSEs will not be taught until September 2016 there is time for this. Once we have decided on the approach to assessing practical skills DfE will finalise the content on which the qualifications will be based.

• http://ofqual.gov.uk/news/gcse-a-level-as-qualification-updates-ofqual/

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ATSE/NAIGS Joint Summer Conference 2014‘Supporting Professional Learning’:

the Conference for Expert Science Educators

Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th July 2014

at the Fielder Centre, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts.

Sessions will include a varied programme of presentations, seminars, and workshops, and will bring together leading

researchers, tutors, education advisers and strategists from key institutions and organisations to offer ATSE and NAIGS

members a stimulating update on the main developments, issues and research in science education.

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Use of apparatus and techniques - physics Specifications for physics must give students opportunities to use relevant apparatus to develop and demonstrate these techniques. All of the techniques listed below will be assessed through a minimum of 12 identified practical activities within each specification. These ‘core’ practicals must allow students to demonstrate all of the practical skills given in appendix 5b. Practical techniques to be gained by candidate 1. use appropriate analogue apparatus to record a range of measurements (to include length/distance,

temperature, pressure, force, angles, volume) and to interpolate between scale markings 2. use appropriate digital instruments, including electrical multimeters, to obtain a range of measurements

(to include time, current, voltage, resistance, mass) 3. use methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing over multiple oscillations, or use of

fiduciary marker, set square or plumb line 4. use stopwatch or light gates for timing 5. use calipers and micrometers for small distances, using digital or vernier scales 6. correctly construct circuits from circuit diagrams using DC power supplies, cells, and a range of circuit

components, including those where polarity is important 7. design, construct and check circuits using DC power supplies, cells, and a range of circuit components 8. use signal generator and oscilloscope, including volts/division and time-base 9. generate and measure waves, using microphone and loudspeaker, or ripple tank, or vibration transducer,

or microwave / radio wave source 10. use laser or light source to investigate characteristics of light, including interference and diffraction 11. use ICT such as computer modelling, or data logger with a variety of sensors to collect data, or use of

software to process data 12. use ionising radiation, including detectors

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Working scientifically Examples from physics 1. Development of scientific thinking

structure of the atom, the Periodic Table expanding universe and the Big Bang uses of fission and fusion risks with the uses of radioactive material.

2. Experimental skills and strategies test whether resistance is independent of current, or whether spring constant is

independent of extension design a domestic mains circuit based on a single fuse plug to maximise lighting

intensity measure the range and distribution of the walking and running speeds of students in

a school class3. Analysis and evaluation

estimate rates of deceleration of a range of vehicles on urban roads and use these to calculate the forces needed to produce these changes

explore how the current in a d.c. circuit varies with the potential difference across the battery terminals

write a report on an investigation for their parents or for students in another class 4. Units, symbols and nomenclature

convert kilowatt hours to energy in joules compare the power used to heat a room with that used to carry a heavy box upstairs.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/211219/GCSE_Sciences_final_updated.pdf

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• Question 4 − To what extent do you agree that practical skills in biology, chemistry and physics should continue to be assessed?

• http://comment.ofqual.gov.uk/a-level-regulatory-requirements-october-2013/

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• Question 5 − To what extent do you agree that the results of practical skills assessments in biology, chemistry and physics should be reported separately on the certificate and not count towards the final grade?

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