Is NZ primary science education in a crisis? (Part Two)

How can the new science curriculum help?

Continuing on from last week where we looked at science, students negative attitude towards it and their falling achievement in science. This week Ian Milne the senior lecturer in primary science and mathematics teacher education programmes at the University of Auckland will look at the curriculum and how it can help.

Look out for the third and final installment in next week’s article where Ian looks at what needs to happen.

A further examination of why primary schools are focussing on promoting inquiry learning may help principals to identify a way to promote more science in their schools.

The science curriculum can provide an ideal, authentic context for developing the skills and knowledge required for inquiry learning.

The overarching nature of science strand, clearly identified in the NZ curriculum (2007), demands that learners are involved in doing science, exploring, explaining and testing their thinking about the natural phenomena involved.

Children doing science will be participating in rich, engaging and hands-on learning activities that require them to question and evaluate theirs and others thinking.

If this type of activity can be identified as inquiry learning, then why are so few schools including science as an authentic context for the implementation of their inquiry learning programmes?

Could it be that schools are more interested in the generic processes of inquiry learning based around action learning or resource-based learning?

Surely inquiry programmes within primary schools could include times where children are given opportunities to find answers to questions that have arisen as they explore in science and are involved in practical learning activities that spark their interest and natural curiosity?

Look out for the third and final instalment in next week’s article where Ian looks at what needs to happen.

For more information check out www.nzase.org.nz/primaryconference