SAPS, Homerton College Cambridge –
Let’s talk – Science and Health

In recent years school science curricula have been updated to include requirements for teachers to raise awareness of scientific issues and promote critical thinking with their pupils. School inspectors are looking for evidence of activities of these types when visiting both primary and secondary schools and teachers are interested in finding suitable ways of raising these issues within their classrooms, making the science which they teach more relevant to the everyday lives of their pupils.

The health of young people is of increasing concern to society, as a result of their lifestyle choices. In the past 10 years, obesity has doubled in six year olds and trebled amongst 15 year olds¹, such that in 2005 around 18% of pupils aged 2–15 were obese². Alcohol consumption in schoolchildren has doubled over a decade, and in 2005 a quarter of pupils imbibed 14 or more units a week³. Sexual health in teenagers is poor, with risky sexual behaviour contributing to increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections and to unplanned pregnancy⁴. The ‘Theory of Planned Behaviour’⁵ is often used to study health-related decision making behaviour in youth, and suggest that social norms, perception of control and past behaviour significantly impact on behaviour⁶. Engaging young people in discussion of the science behind health issues/lifestyle choices, rather than didactic provision of information, may help them to rethink attitudes and build confidence in their ability to take responsibility for their own health.

The aim of this type of teaching is to enable the young people to approach a scientific issue with an understanding of the science behind the issue and why this is a controversial topic, where many people have differing views. Young people are then expected to be in a position to take up an informed position. However, young people currently receive little help in developing critical thinking and analysis and in detecting bias and assessing risk.

This project intends to work with teachers in Fife schools to produce three activities for Key Stage 3/lower secondary science pupils (11–14) to help teachers to raise scientific/health issues with their pupils. Using good practice already established in primary schools in the area, The providers will work with the teachers to provide training to develop the skills required to encourage discussion of these issues. In collaboration with the teachers and the scientific advisers we will design activities which include background to the science behind the issues, and provide innovative teaching and learning contexts for the subsequent discussions.

Aims and outcomes of the project:

The project aims to:

• Establish the working team of Project Leader, teachers, evaluator, academic advisor and advisors from the Scottish Executive to coordinate and finalise aims and objectives and set the tasks for the year ahead.
• Build on the skills of discussion of scientific issues which have been established in primary schools, introducing them into the secondary environment within the Fife area, through a structured collaborative CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme.
• Develop, using novel learning and teaching strategies, three science activities, which will help secondary teachers to raise science-related health issues with their pupils.
• Trial these activities in 5 secondary schools in Fife.
• Raise the awareness of scientific health issues with young people allowing them to discuss sensitive issues in a secure environment.
• Encourage the young people to develop an understanding of different viewpoints when considering scientific issues and to move them forward in the process of expressing informed and balanced opinions, based on understanding and evidence.
• Evaluate through direct feedback from the teachers the impact which these resources have on classroom practice and to review and implement any subsequent recommendations.

Three activities will be produced for Key Stage 3/early secondary pupils. The topics will be:

• Diet, Diabetes and Obesity
• The functions of the liver and liver damage
• Vaccination and health

While these topics are found in the science curriculum, they are very relevant to current personal and social education programmes and the new health and wellbeing courses to be introduced into Scotland; thus the materials may be used in a cross-curricular context. The approach to the topics will be to establish the background science and then to use a variety of different ways in engaging the pupils in the issues surrounding the science, encouraging group discussion and debate. Each activity will contain:

Teacher Guide:

• concise background information for teachers
• clear links to the curriculum
• instructions on how to use the activity
• assessment ideas
• feedback form

Pupil Pack:

• background to the science behind the issues
• copies of the 3 different science/health based discussion activities

CPD courses and ongoing support

The activities will use a variety of different approaches to engage pupils in scientific issues such as:

• drama and expressive arts
• discussion card based activities
• debate activities

The training courses will focus on these methods and techniques and how they can be used to engage pupils. After the initial training has taken place a programme of ongoing support, team teaching and collaboration within the schools will be established.

Contact

Marjorie Smith - masmith@dollaracademy.org.uk