Science Years 1–13

An opportunity for all teachers to extend their knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to tailor their teaching to address the intent of Science in the NZ Curriculum by focussing on Nature of Science and incorporating science capability thinking and questioning approaches.

We provide support to teachers by:

• Providing professional development supporting teaching, learning and assessment of Science to reflect the Nature of Science (NoS) requirements of NZC.
• Developing their own and their students' engagement with science capability thinking and questioning approaches.
• Building pedagogical practice in Science to support 21st century learners to use NoS concepts, including use of digital tools within science learning.
• Helping teachers to locate Mātauranga Māori into programmes of learning that is meaningful for learners and legitimises it within the Science curriculum.
• Helping teachers to develop confidence to use science as an authentic context for engaging their students in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Inquiring into the impact of their science teaching practice on student learning and engagement by using their knowledge, data and tools to evaluate the impact of an inquiry into practice.
• This could be achieved through one day workshops, working in-depth with a team of teachers in a school, or with a group of schools as a cluster. The support may include regular visits to individual schools and teachers, observations, wananga each term to share progress of target students, as well as ongoing professional development.

The facilitation support might include:

• Developing teachers' knowledge of scientific literacy as well as science processes and skills.
• Responding to students' needs to be supported with the literacy and mathematical demands of science.
• Building skills in ways of using data to improve learning and achievement in Science, particularly to identify at risk students. This includes support in using NZCER Science Thinking with Evidence and the Learning Progression Frameworks.
• Assisting in revising curriculum plans to ensure they locate science learning within Mātauranga Māori in the context of the school's place and community.
• Tailoring classroom programmes to meet the learning needs of students.
• Identifying assessment processes which may better meet the needs of students and enable students to monitor their progress.
• Encouraging cultural inclusiveness in teaching and learning of Science.
• Reviewing school practices to ensure effective teaching and learning of science within the school curriculum.
• Tailoring a programme to meet the needs of students using authentic and complex settings. This could be focused at any year level, but might include Primary Science, Level 1 Science, Physical Science Level 2 course design and assessment, Chemistry for Society (L2 or L3).

Accredited Facilitators

Years 1–13

Kate Rice (Dunedin based)

Tel +64 21 793 771
Email kate.rice@otago.ac.nz

Stephen Williams (Wellington based)

Tel +64 21 908 269
Email stephen.williams@otago.ac.nz

Workshops

None at this stage.