Scientific literacy (SL) and critical thinking (CT) are key components of science education aiming to prepare students to think and to function as responsible citizens in a world increasingly affected by science and technology (S&T). Therefore, students should be given opportunities in their science classes to be engaged in learning experiences that promote SL and CT, which may trigger the need to build and develop knowledge, attitudes/values, thinking abilities, and standards/criteria in an integrated way, resulting in their ability to know how to take responsible action in contexts and situations of personal and social relevance. This paper reports on a study to design, implement, and assess science learning experiences focused on CT toward SL goal. Results support the conclusion that the learning experiences developed and implemented in a grade 6 science classroom had a significant influence on the students’ CT and SL. Within this elementary school context, the theoretical framework used appears to be a relevant and practical aid for developing learning experiences that promote CT/SL and in supporting teaching practices that are more in line with the goals of critical scientific literacy.

/pdf/fostering-scientific-literacy-and-critical-thinking-in-138tf3ptch.pdf

Fostering Scientific Literacy and Critical Thinking in Elementary Science Education

Michael Young has argued that pupils should be given access to ‘powerful knowledge’. This article examines the extent to which his concept of powerful knowledge is applicable to geographical education, in particular to the study of urban geography. It explores the distinction Young makes between everyday and school knowledge, how this relates to geographical education and to the academic subject of geography. It then considers the extent to which geographical disciplinary knowledge has the characteristics of powerful knowledge. Finally, it raises issues related to curriculum and pedagogy.

Powerful knowledge and geographical education

A continuing struggle over curriculum in early childhood education is evident in contemporary research and debate at national and international levels. This reflects the dominant influence of developmental psychology in international discourses, and in policy frameworks that determine approaches to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. Focusing on early childhood education, we argue that this struggle generates critical questions about three significant themes within curriculum theory: content, coherence, and control. We outline two positions from which these themes can be understood: Developmental and Educational Psychology and contemporary policy frameworks. We argue that within and between these positions, curriculum content, coherence, and control are viewed in different and sometimes oppositional ways. Following this analysis, we propose that a focus on ‘working theories’ as a third position offers possibilities for addressing some of these continuing struggles, by exploring different implica...

https://tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09585176.2015.1129981

Curriculum in early childhood education: critical questions about content, coherence, and control

Education reform in England is increasingly portrayed as a quest to create “world class” schools through the transfer of the features of high performing school systems. The demand for evidence to support policy borrowing has been serviced by an influential intermediary network, which uses international data banks to compare education systems, and to identify and promote evidence of “what works”. Whilst the network, a self-proclaimed ‘New Paradigm’, has been extensively critiqued, this has largely focused on its deviation from the norms of academic comparative education. This article analyses how the “New Paradigm” operates through the identification of its inherent features and the strategies used to overcome the methodological issues associated with policy borrowing. This is pursued through an analysis of the Rationale; Assumptions; Underlying ideology; Methodology; Omissions and silences; Dealing with critics; and Language and presentation of four of its influential publications.

Comparative education, the ‘New Paradigm’ and policy borrowing: constructing knowledge for educational reform

Acknowledgements This report represents the collective findings and recommendations of the Expert Panel. The Expert Panel is grateful to the Department for Education's National Curriculum review team whose constant support has helped us to develop our thinking and draw our conclusions. The guidance and direction provided by senior officials including Jon Coles, David Russell and Jacquie Spatcher has also been crucial. The Expert Panel would not have been able to complete this report without the extensive international comparative work undertaken by the National Curriculum review team. The team has built up a substantial body of information on other nations' systems – key aspects of which are reported separately. The Expert Panel is also grateful to all those who gave evidence through the formal Call for Evidence and in the many meetings that panel members held with phase and subject experts and with those involved in parallel Departmental reviews. To provide a comprehensive report at this stage of the review, Andrew Pollard and Mary James led in capturing, in successive drafts, the key elements of the Expert Panel's deliberations and its collective views. Warwick Sharp and his team of editors at the Department for Education provided close support to produce the final draft. Chapter 9-Oral Language and its Development within the National Curriculum 52 Chapter 10-Risks 55 Conclusion 58 Annexes Annex 1 Tables showing the inclusion of aims, philosophy and functions/tasks in curriculum subject frameworks in high-performing jurisdictions Annex 2 Examples of curricula aims and objectives of high-performing jurisdictions Annex 3 Table showing subjects in the compulsory phase curriculum as mapped against England Annex 4 Tables showing the existing and proposed requirements for subjects within the Basic and National Curriculum Annex 5 Evidence from international surveys (PIRLS, TIMSS and PISA) Annex 6 Expert Panel members – pen portraits 3 Introduction We believe that the National Curriculum is a critical part of the education system in England, and that it has a key role to play in securing the right of all children and young people to a broad and balanced education. We were, therefore, very pleased when the Secretary of State asked us to support the Department for Education's 1 review of the National Curriculum in England through the exercise of our individual and collective insight and knowledge. We have supported the review by providing detailed advice on the construction and content of the new National Curriculum. We have set out …

The framework for the national curriculum : a report by the expert panel for the national curriculum review

This fascinating and insightful paper offers a concise analysis of some of the problems with our current National Curriculum and helps explain why so many other nations are outpacing us in educatio...

/pdf/using-international-comparisons-to-refine-the-national-elj2bib182.pdf

Using international comparisons to refine the National Curriculum in England

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Using international comparisons to refine the National Curriculum in England