Assessment Task Information
Assignment Details
Assessment Task Information
Weight: 40%
Length: 1500 +/- 10% words
Context
According to renowned US educator Linda Darling-Hammond (2010), the assessment systems in high-achieving jurisdictions like Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and Singapore have long relied largely on open-ended items ... that require students to analyze, apply knowledge, and write extensively. Furthermore, a growing emphasis on inquiry-oriented learning has led to an increasing prominence for school-based tasks, which include research projects, science investigations, development of products, and presentations about these efforts.
The NSW Stage 6 science syllabuses emphasize the importance of scientific investigations and the skills of working scientifically. The 2017 syllabus defines an investigation as "a scientific process of answering a question, exploring an idea or solving a problem, which requires activities such as planning a course of action, collecting data, interpreting data, reaching a conclusion and communicating these activities. Investigations can include practical and/or secondary-sourced data or information." Thus, scientific investigations should encourage students to take the initiative in finding answers to problems that they have identified themselves. Such investigations are also called open-ended investigations in the science education literature. A number of other states and territories similarly emphasise the importance of investigations in senior science.
This assignment asks you to examine skills, strategies and procedures associated with science investigations.You will choose a Stage 6 science syllabus that you will be teaching once you graduate and familiarize yourself with the material concerning investigations and present your understanding of how you will engage students with the practical components of the syllabus and incorporate practical work into your teaching. Use readings from the science education literature, as well as relevant sections from 'Teaching Secondary Science: Theory and Practice' and Chapter 6 Inquiry and investigation in science in The Art of Teaching Science(2nd edition). The assignment should be completed on the Assignment 1 Template and submitted as a Word document.
There are three parts to this assignment.
Note. The task is marked holistically against the rubric.
Task Instructions
PART A - The role of investigations in senior science
Word Count: 1100 words
Write an essay outlining your understanding of the role and importance of scientific investigations in your chosen science subject. Specifically, your essay should include the following:
1. IntroductionBriefly and clearly outline the aims of your essay and the main points you will address.2. Investigative skillsDescribe four investigative skills that students should develop in order to perform effective scientific investigations. Discuss the importance of each in relation to the relevant Stage 6 syllabus and how these skills support students understanding of the scientific method within and beyond the classroom.3. Specific strategiesDescribe the use of three specific teaching strategies that could be used by teachers to improve senior science learners' 'investigative skills'. Justify your arguments with references to the literature.4. Reconciling investigative skills and explicit, direct teachingIn Stage 6, the is a tension for teachers to develop students' knowledge through direct, explicit teaching in preparation for high stakes standardised tests such as the HSC, and the development of practical science skills through practical, hands-on, student centred investigations. Propose your ideas about how you will work with a year 11 and 12 science class to ensure that both aspects are appropriately supported. It will be helpful to discuss this challenge with an experienced teacher of a Stage 6 science discipline.5. ConclusionSummarise and draw together your main points. Your essay should demonstrate good communication skills including high quality written expression, correct grammar, spelling and punctuation and correct academic referencing using APA style. Five percent is allocated for assessment of these aspects of your essay. General assessment Criteria for Part A (see Part C Self-Assessment template for specific marking criteria) i. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies for topics covered in the biology, physics, chemistry, and earth and environmental science syllabus. include a range of teaching strategies that identify and discuss a variety of investigative skills used in science and discuss in detail the types of cognitive engagement that could be associated with each skill.
PART B - Instructions for a Scientific Investigation
Word Count: 350 words
Imagine that you are designing a Scientific Investigation relating to your chosen Stage 6 science syllabus (preliminary or HSC). Provide a set of instructions to students that clearly describes:
the aim of the investigation;
the syllabus outcomes addressed by the investigation; (please ensure that you provide appropriate skills(working scientifically) AND content (knowledge and understanding)outcomes)
how they are to select an investigation which conforms to the syllabus requirements;
specific criteria for assessing student achievement of outcomes from the investigation; and
any other information you feel students should be given in order to successfully complete the investigation (see Assignment Template).
Your investigation must not be copied from an existing school program, textbook or web resource, though you may take (and acknowledge) ideas or elements from these sources. You are encouraged to discuss this assignment with your supervising teacher where possible.
PART C - Self Assessment
The general assessment criteria have been distilled into a specific marking scheme (see template) to help you assess your submission. The purpose of the exercise is to give you the opportunity to reflect on and critically assess your own work.
