Science and Technology



Science and technology within the primary classroom

‘Science is not taught every day in most primary schools’ (Ofsted, 2011). Primary school teachers face many barriers with trying to teach science with on average 1 hour 24 minutes a week dedicated to the subject (Wellcome, 2017). Many teachers were asked what are the barriers, if any, they experienced when teaching or leading science the top four categories were lack of budget and resources (35 per cent), a lack of time and curricular importance (22 per cent), lack of subject knowledge (11 per cent) and issues relating to setting up space or access to resources (10 per cent) (Wellcome, 2017).

However, according to Wellcome (2017) more than 8 in 10 teachers think that Mathematics (84%) and English (83%) are ‘very important’ to the senior leadership team of their school, but this number drops to just three in ten (30%) when it comes to science, implying that the subject is not seen as a priority for primary teaching.

Martin (2018) agrees to a point with Wellcome (2017) by saying that the government state that Stem skills are key to the United Kingdom’s future prosperity after Brexit, however, science is slowly being pushed out in primary schools. ‘When the government last monitored the national performance of 11-year-olds in science two years ago, it found that less than a quarter - 23 per cent - had achieved the expected standard’ (Martin, 2018).

Our main problem with teaching science in primary schools as a country is that many primary school teachers leave their teacher training feeling inadequate to teach and assess science (Martin, 2018). Martin (2018) states that the government try to stress the importance of science for the future., although this is not shown in the experience that many children in primary schools. The children start to gain impressions which influence their future subject choices and career options (Martin, 2018).

Education is a key part of growing up for children and is something that prepares them for life, although it must prepare children for a life in a world where science and its applications in technology have key roles (Harlen Obe & Qualter, 2014). Referring to Harlen Obe & Qualter (2014) they believe that science education helps children to develop understanding, powers of reasoning and attitudes that allow them to lead physically and emotionally healthy and rewarding lives. However, science education can also help individuals and groups within society to be able to make more informed decisions and choices in regard to avoiding waste of energy and other resources, pollution and the consequences of poor diet, lack of exercise and misuse of drugs. Also, the impact that it has on their daily lives because these problems have bigger implications on lives through longer-term impact of human activity (Harlen Obe & Qualter, 2014). 

Design and Technology in primary schools helps to develop children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. It aims to encourage children's creativity and encourages them to think about important issues (The design and technology association, 2019). The design and technology association (2019) state that teaching design and technology within schools helps aid the teaching of other compulsory subjects such as Mathematics and English in a fun way and to help put other subjects into context making them easier for the children to understand for younger primary age children.  It is compulsory that all maintained primary schools in England and Wales follow the National curriculum, which includes Design and Technology as a necessary subject at Key Stages 1 and 2 (The design and technology association, 2019). Many people involved in education have accepted the importance and vitality of teaching science and technology in primary schools (Zoller,2011).

At university we spent the day at Techniquest where we engaged in shows and activities that would be shown to primary school children when they visit on a school trip. It was all about science and how fun it can be. Techniquest try to help teachers with delivering interesting science lessons that either support what the children have been doing in school or is something that the teacher is able try and continue in the classroom. However, a lot of the things that the children can experience at Techniquest are very often things that teachers are not able to facilitate at school. So, it enables the children to participate in different learning experiences.
https://www.techniquest.org/about-us/the-story-of-techniquest/

Here is an image of the Techniquest website with a link which explains what they are all about and how their main aim is to get children enjoying science.
‘Techniquest’s mission is to embed science in Welsh culture through interactive engagement’ (Techniquest, 2019).

Techniquest also have key values that they feel are necessary and they also link in with the new curriculum and how it aims to make children more creative, innovative and collaborative (Donaldson, 2015). The new and incoming curriculum is aiming for science and technology to not be pushed out of a school day and to make all lessons cross-curricula, hoping that science and technology can become more involved in education (Donaldson, 2015). Science and technology are also one of the six key areas of Learning and Experience within the new curriculum meaning that it is going to be of ‘equal importance in a broad and balanced curriculum’ (Donalson, 2015, p.43).  

 https://twitter.com/MissCBumford/status/1088835732398112768

 Here is a link to a short video I created from the day I spent at Techniquest to give you an idea on the sort of this they do there an what they have for children to do.

Overall, science and technology are a key part of the curriculum and for children's learning.  It will hopefully become more important within the new curriculum. 

Reference List

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful Futures. Available at: https://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/150225-successful-futures-en.pdf (Last accessed 31/3/19)

Harlen Obe, W., & Qualter, A. (2014).The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools. London: David Fulton.

Martin, G. (2018). Why is primary science dying? The Times Educational Supplement, p. The Times Educational Supplement, Mar 23, 2018, Issue 5292.

Ofsted (2011). Maintaining curiosity. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/379163/Maintaining_20curiosity_20a_20survey_20into_20science_20education_20in_20schools.doc (Last accessed 31/3/19)

Techniquest (2019). The story of Techniquest. Available at: https://www.techniquest.org/about-us/the-story-of-techniquest/ (Last accessed 31/3/19)

The design and technology association (2019). Primary. Available at: https://www.data.org.uk/for-education/primary/ (Last accessed 31/3/19)

Wellcome (2017). Science 'not a priority' for primary schools. Available at: https://wellcome.ac.uk/press-release/science-not-priority-primary-schools (Last accessed 31/3/19)

Zoller, Uri. (2011). Science and Technology Education in the STES Context in Primary Schools: What Should It Take? Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(5), pp. 444-453.

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