|
Dublin City University is to head an international research
effort to revolutionise the way science is taught in schools.
The goal of the €3.75 million four-year project is to increase
the numbers of students going forward for science at third
level.
The SAILS
(Strategies for Assessment of Inquiry Learning in Science)
project involves 13 research partners in 12 countries and
is funded by the European Union under Framework Programme
7.
As it progresses, the project will provide teacher training
workshops and online facilities where teachers can share experiences.
It is based on further development of the inquiry-based learning
methods already being used in the Junior Cert science curriculum
and in Project Maths, said Dr Odilla Finlayson of Dublin City
University. She is based in the university’s Centre for the
Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning
and will co-ordinate the SAILS project.
“The project uses inquiry teaching methods and will add assessment
strategies for use by teachers,” she said at the announcement
of the research consortium.
Inquiry-based teaching encourages students to develop their
own questions when studying a problem to devise an answer.
“Inquiry teaching and inquiry learning are now becoming part
of the normal practice in schools,” she said.
It was meant to encourage critical thinking, problem solving
and creativity in students, but existing performance assessment
methods do not readily measure these, Dr Finlayson said. “The
project will develop assessment strategies for measuring those
kinds of skills.”
The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, which got
underway last week, was a good example of inquiry-based learning,
she said. Students are asked to identify a problem and then
devise ways of solving it.
The project will focus in particular on teaching science
using these advanced methods. “We will be working with teachers
in developing these skills and assessing these skills,” Dr
Finlayson said.
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn attended the
SAILS launch. He congratulated DCU on securing funding from
the commission and on heading up the project, saying it was
great that Irish researchers were leading an international
consortium of this size.
The project would help reinforce the gains being made by
the Project Maths curriculum, he said.
Intel Ireland will be a partner in the project and will develop
online tools and supports for teachers and students.
Enhancing student learning of maths and science subjects
was “crucial” for the development of Europe’s knowledge economy,
said DCU president Prof Brian MacCraith.
“SAILS advocates and supports a curriculum that encourages
problem-solving and exploratory learning,” he added.
Source - The Irish Times
|
