This article picks up on the notion of science capital (see Mytum-Smithson and Howell (2019) on p.55 in this issue) and demonstrates how homework can be used to support its development. Science capital is an increasingly discussed term within some education camps and one that fashionably describes the 'science baggage' that children carry with…

A teaching approach based on the Biggs and Collis SOLO taxonomy is described. Lessons were planned using the SOLO taxonomy to communicate how students could demonstrate increasing complexity of response to scientific questions. Consideration is given to extending the use of the SOLO taxonomy to create a relational curriculum, which may be useful…

Students often struggle to determine whether changes in matter are physical or chemical; for example, they may have difficulty labelling a candle melting as a physical change but a candle burning as chemical change. Here we describe a lesson that we used to integrate conceptual learning about physical and chemical changes using the…

The National Curriculum for England has been revised and the statements on energy have some new phrasing and some new ideas. In this article, I will reflect on how these changes might be beneficial, relieving some of the strictures of previous drafts and providing opportunities to talk about energy in new, more constructive ways. I will discuss…

Our view of learning takes into account how learners, when learning, are engaged in both doing science and mathematics and becoming mathematicians and scientists. Drawing on our work on a number of European projects that developed inquiry approaches across mathematics and science, we propose a new research and development agenda seeking new ways…

Earth science has a part to play in broadening students' learning experience in physics. The Earth Science Education Unit presents a range of (free) workshops to teachers and trainee teachers, suggesting how Earth-based science activities, which show how we understand and use the planet we live on, can easily be slotted into normal science…

This quantitative research study reports the effectiveness of demonstrations supported by appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) tools such as dataloggers, animations and video clips on upper secondary school students' attitudes towards the learning of physics. A sample of 94 secondary four express stream (age 16 years) and…

With the increasing prominence of "How science works" in science courses in England and the imperative of equipping students to engage with the controversies thrown up by the advance of science, science departments need new teaching strategies. Here we describe the application of "Dramatic Enquiry" to GCSE science. The project,…

This article takes you on a journey through the authors' school course unit, the "Variety of Life," which aims to unpick the idea of biodiversity and its many facets. The aims and principles of each teaching topic are defined, teaching activities suggested, resources described and the skills each topic develops listed. Whilst aimed at…

Reported are viewers' comments of some recently broadcasted science education programs in Great Britain. Explores the impact of these programs on children in the classroom, the pupils' appreciation and what the children learn. Synthesizes these opinions into recommendations for successful science education broadcasting. (CW)

Provides an introduction to new educational technology. Describes interactive video as a means to enhance learning not to improve teaching. Outlines some of the fears, apprehensions, and antipathies associated with this technology and suggests ways to alleviate them. (CW)