The Schools Around the World project: an attempt to enhance the quality of science teaching

Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article 3 (Dec., 2000)
CHENG May Hung, May; SO Wing Mui, Winnie; CHEUNG Wing Ming, Francis
The Schools Around the World project: an attempt to enhance the quality of science teaching

Previous Contents Next

The Schools Around the World Project and Hong Kong Science Education
The SAW project relates to science education in Hong Kong in three ways. Firstly, the collection of student work may illustrate the variety of assessment and classroom practices among those participating countries/regions. This collection may become references for local science teachers as they are considering shifts in their current practice. Shifts in teachers' practice are likely to occur as the recent reform proposal in education in Hong Kong (Education Commission, 2000) has called for an abolishment of public examinations and emphasized the importance of life-long learning. While teachers and students are long adapted to the examination-oriented approach of teaching and learning methods, this change in the aim of education would mean a revolution in these methods. The long established tradition of preparing students for different levels of examinations have to be replaced by alternative methods of teaching and hence assessment. The focus of assessment is shifted and so is the purpose. The reform proposal and the proposed changes are in line with recent developments in education assessment. Black (1998a) reviewed the evidences that support the effectiveness of formative assessment. Based on at least 20 studies, he concluded that formative assessment helps the "Low attainers" in improving their learning whilst also raising the overall level of achievement. He also found a number of common characteristics among the research reports. These include: the involvement of new modes of pedagogy that calls for significant changes in classroom practices; the active involvement of pupils in the assessment process; the results of the assessment practices have to be used in adjustment of teaching and learning strategies; formative assessment can affect the motivation and self-esteem of pupils with obvious benefits in engaging pupils in self-assessment. The battery of student work generated by the SAW project may provide local science teachers with workable examples of science assessment practices from different countries/regions which may be very different from their current practices.

Secondly, the SAW project provides professional development opportunities for local science teachers. While there is a change in the education policy, the implementation of the policy has to be supported by teacher development opportunities. The direction of teacher development includes changes in more fundamental beliefs about learning among the teachers (Black, 1998a, 1998b). The assumption, that students will automatically learn and fully understand the concepts once they are taught by their teachers, has to be changed. It is because learning does not always happen by hearing but by active involvement and construction of concepts. The teachers participating in SAW may have an opportunity to re-examine their own beliefs and consider the beliefs of other local or international participating teachers through the analysis of the student work. A more detailed discussion about how teacher professional development can be enhanced by participating in the project will be included in a later section of this paper.

Thirdly, the SAW project may raise the awareness of local educators about the importance of science education. In an international comparison on students? achievement in Science and Mathematics, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has shown that science achievement was much lower than mathematics achievement among the primary students in Hong Kong. For mathematics, 18% of the students from Hong Kong score among the top 10% of the fourth graders (primary 4-5) among the 26 TIMSS countries. For Science, only 4% of the students score among the top 10% (Law, 1997). The contrast in student achievements in Hong Kong points to a potentially disturbing situation. Science seems to be a neglected area in the primary education arena and that primary teachers may seldom identify themselves as science teachers. With the SAW project, the importance of science as an area of learning is emphasized at both primary and secondary levels. By participating in the project, teachers may be more aware of student work, achievement and assessment in science. With the project and teacher participation, discussions about science teaching, assessment, and education are facilitated and promoted in the education arena.