Throughout Science Year we would like to involve all interested schools and science teachers to help develop novel Mini-projects. The intention is to provide opportunities for linked practical investigation and reading research, which will allow students greater autonomy than the current model used for coursework assessment. The studies will be open-ended, offering the possibility for various students or groups to follow different lines of enquiry.

• a series of practical activities on CD-ROM

The studies will be based on applications of science pupils traditionally study at this level. The contexts will be chosen to motivate students, either because the applications are used in everyday life or appear in intriguing phenomena, which are counter-intuitive. Thus, they will be suitable for use by individuals in science club sessions, or with classes as part of their normal coursework.

• practical skills in the context of a meaningful study

• Each project should be based on some property that is intriguing or counter-intuitive e.g. plants grow faster in the dark, if only for a short time.
• There should be opportunities for a variety of different lines of investigation (including finding information on the Internet).
• It should be possible to link the activities to some explanatory theory that is accessible to this age-range.

• motivating or intriguing contexts for science practical work

• Each study should provide several different possible lines of enquiry, each of which could be covered by students in about 4-6 hours work, leading to an investigation report or presentation to the class or club.

• freedom of choice for individuals or opportunities for shared group investigations

The fourth in our proposed series of open-ended studies is Rollers and Throwers, allowing pupils an opportunity to learn about or revise ideas of energy resources, conservation of energy and energy transformation in a context that offers entertainment and a competitive element. One of these studies is provided on each ASE CD ROM throughout Science Year.

We plan to develop a web forum for exchange of ideas about the projects, and are looking for schools that are prepared to trial some (or all) of the suggestions and report the outcomes.

We are keen to evaluate both the learning outcomes and the effects on student attitudes, and to develop assessment guidelines for this type of activity. In particular, which lines of investigation do and do not work with students across a wide range of ability. What are the effects on the attitudes and motivation of students? How could such studies be incorporated into coursework assessment, either within a framework similar to current models, or through development of new assessment criteria?

• a chance for your school to become involved in trials and to help shape the future of coursework assessment

For further details and for information about resources and support, please contact:

Peter Nicolson,
The Science Curriculum Centre,
University of York, Heslington,
York
YO10 5DD

tel: 01904 432524
Fax 01904 434078

email pen1@york.ac.uk

• practical help and more information available

PUPILS

TEACHERS

TECHNICIANS