Science and Technology in Primary Education

Science and Technology in Primary Education

Living in the twenty first century, our society is filled with science and technology and everyone needs a rudimentary understanding of it (Osborne & Dillon, 2008). The science and technology work force are ever growing, suggesting that appropriate schooling in the subjects is needed. However, Murphy and Beggs (2005), state that a decline of interests and positive attitudes appears to have already begun. Across the globe, a range of programmes have been launched in order to increase attention on science and technology in primary education (Lena, 2006). A key problem that stops the implementation of these programmes is that primary teachers often avoid teaching science (Appleton, 2007). Traianou (2006) explains that, this is a result of limited subject knowledge, little pedagogical content and a reduced understanding of problem-solving skills and low self-efficacy.

The science curriculum at Key stage 2 (Welsh Government, 2008a) and the design and technology curriculum at Key stage 2 (Welsh Government, 2008b) Both set out guidelines that practitioners should be following and what children should be learning about both subjects. The science curriculum Welsh Government, (2008a) states that,

‘Pupils should develop the skills of communication, enquiry, developing and reflecting, through the range of:

§ Interdependence of organisms

§ The sustainable Earth

§ How things Work’

The Design and Technology curriculum Welsh Government (2008b) identify the, 

‘Skills that pupils should develop in the following areas:

§ Designing

§ Making

§ Food

§ Rigid and Flexible materials

§ Systems and Control’

The Successful Futures Review of the Welsh Curriculum by G. Donaldson (2015) has now integrated science and technology into the one of the six ‘Areas of leaning and Experience’ the review demands that this area of learning and experience will allow:

Children and young people to have opportunities to learn how technology is used to design products that improve the quality of human life and to apply their scientific and other knowledge to practical purposes and challenges. For schools, this means providing children and young people with rich opportunities to develop technological skills, knowledge, understanding and attributes through designing and developing products and systems. They will be able to explore the impact of technology on society and the environment (Donaldson, 2015, p.50)

This review for a new curriculum creates a turning point for how Science and technology is valued in the classroom. Making science and Technology as one of the main areas for learning and experience pushes practitioners to engage their students in these subjects. 

Estyn (2017), provided a report focusing on the standards, provision and leadership in the national curriculum subjects of science and design technology at key stage 2 in primary schools in Wales. The report identified the achievement levels of a range of schools and pupils in Science in key stage 2. The table provided shows the achievement levels of Level 4/5 of Girls and Boys between 2012 and 2016. 

		All pupils	Girls   Boys
Level 4 or above	2012	89%	91%   87%
	2013	90%	92%   88%
	2014	90%	92%   88%
	2015	91%	93%   90%
	2016	92%	94%   90%
Level 5 or above	2012	33%	34%   32%
	2013	36%	37%   35%
	2014	38%	40%   37%
	2015	41%	43%   39 %
	2016	42%	44%   41%

As you can see, the levels of achievement have raised within the 5year period suggesting that pedagogy and provision has improved over the years with and Overall 92% with a Level 4 or above and 42% with a level 5 or above. 

Although this is a positive notion, how can practitioners continue to make their pedagogy more beneficial in order to boost children’s achievement further? There is a tonne of online resources that practitioners can use in order to enrich their pedagogy and to engage their students. BBC Bitesize has a variety of useful tools and for teachers and students to use. Take a look at this example of: ‘What is Earth?’ by BCC Bitsize for Key Stage 2 Children: 

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/articles/zqbxb82

Or If you’re looking Design and Technology look at these: 

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zyr9wmn

It is evident that Science and Technology plays a big role in children’s education even more so progressing into the modern technological world. The working world demands digitally competent individuals, which the Welsh curriculum is taking into consideration and thus creating implementation into schools. There are a range of ways in which practitioners can teach their pupils and make their studies relevant and useful to them. Children are starting to acquire new sets of skills that they can transfer into their everyday lives and can carry with them throughout their whole lives. 

Reference List 

Appleton, K. (2007). Elementary science teaching. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman(Eds.), Handbook of research on science education (pp. 493–535). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

BBC Bitesize KS2 Subjects. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/levels/zbr9wmn[Accessed 22 March 2019] 

Donaldson, G. 2015 Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. Available at: https://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/150225-successful-futures-en.pdf[Accessed 19 March 2019] 

Léna, P. (2006). Erasmus lecture 2005 from science to education: The need for a revolution. European Review, 14, 3–21. doi:10.1017/S1062798706000020

Murphy, C., & Beggs, J. (2005). Primary science in the UK: A scoping study. Final report to the Wellcome Trust. London: Wellcome Trust.

Osborne, J., & Dillon, J. (2008). Science education in Europe: Critical reflections. London: The Nuffield Foundation

Traianou, A. (2006). Understanding teacher expertise in primary science: A sociocultural approach. Rotterdam: Sense.

Welsh Government (2008a) Science in the National Curriculum for Wales. Cardiff: Welsh Government. [Online]. Available from: http://learning.gov.wales/docs/learningwales/publications/140624-science-in-the- national-curriculum-en-v2.pdf. [Accessed 22 March 2019]

Welsh Government (2008b) Design and technology in the National Curriculum for Wales. Cardiff: Welsh Government. [Online]. Available from: http://learning.gov.wales/docs/learningwales/publications/130424-design-and- technology-in-the-national-curriculum-en-v2.pdf. [Accessed 22 March 2019]

Welsh Government, (2017) Science and Design and Technology at Key stage 2. Estyn.: Welsh Government [Online]. Available at: https://www.estyn.gov.wales/sites/default/files/documents/Science%20and%20design%20and%20technology%20%28004%29.pdf[Accessed 22 March 2019]