Trust Projects

Interpreting eco-monitoring data at Key Stage 2

A Primary Science Cluster project working in collaboration with Bath Spa University, ScienceScope and Hillingdon Schools

London Borough of Hillingdon, School Improvement Service

This project arises from a number of current science issues in Hillingdon schools:
• The comparative underdevelopment of pupils’ data interpretation and reasoning skills (‘data literacy’) within scientific enquiry.
• The relative under use of ICT within primary science – particularly datalogging – at Key Stage 2. Responses from subject leaders on CPD programmes indicates that, whilst many have datalogging equipment in their schools, this tends to remain ‘in the cupboard’.
• Associated with the above, the relative lack of confidence amongst primary staff with both datalogging and data interpretation.
• The drive by many schools to achieve ‘Eco-school’ status by monitoring and reducing their carbon footprints.
• The growth in availability and use of GPS technology, both in travel contexts (many children will be familiar with ‘sat nav’) and in educational contexts (for example the integration of GPS facilities within PDAs and datalogging equipment to record location data for species in local habitats).

Aims

The project aims to:
1. Enhance Key Stage 2 teachers’ confidence using datalogging as an everyday part of their science teaching
2. Develop KS2 pupils’ abilities to design datalogging investigations, collect relevant environmental monitoring data, and interpret these and other environmental data
3. Develop KS2 pupils’ and their teachers’ understandings of GPS (in the context of learning about the Earth and beyond) and how linking data readings to precise locations can build up different kinds of environmental maps of their schools and localities.
4. Support schools in their monitoring of environmental indicators (e.g. air quality, light, heat and humidity levels in different parts of buildings and grounds) in pursuance of Eco-school status.

The outcomes of the project will include:
1. Regular, appropriate use of datalogging linked to other ICT applications (such as Google Earth/Google Maps) across Key Stage 2 within participating schools
2. Case studies of environmental monitoring investigations in KS 2 from all participating schools, demonstrating how pupils have planned the capture of appropriate data to answer a research question, how they have identified and presented those data to the school, wider community and external agencies (e.g. Eco-schools)

3. Enhanced understanding amongst KS2 pupils and teachers of the principles behind GPS and its potential applications in a range of contexts
4. Enhanced scientific enquiry skills in all participating pupils, particularly in the area of data interpretation and presentation.
5. Improved attitudes towards science in participating pupils and appreciation of its relevance to their lives and potential benefit to the environment.

 

Programme

January 2010 – Against a set of criteria (in process of application for Eco-school status, prepared to commit KS2 teacher(s) and science subject leader, prepared to undertake project)
February 2010 - Cluster day 1: Introduction to eco-monitoring project. Exploration of existing use of datalogging within project schools, review of existing equipment, introduction to GPS-enabled datalogging equipment to supplement school kit.
February 2010 - Participants explore existing and new equipment within school context (exploration phase)
March 2010 - Cluster day 2: Exploring the science behind GPS. Planning eco-monitoring projects in relation to school applications for Eco-school status
May 2010 - KS2 pupils learn about GPS, Google Earth/Maps and position-linked data collection. Pupils work with teachers to plan and implement a range of eco-monitoring investigations using GPS and other datalogging equipment, within the framework of overall school projects (investigation phase)
June 2010 - Interim school project review. Focus on data interpretation and presentation.
July 2010 Focussed teaching on data-interpretation within schools. School projects continue – KS2 pupils collecting a range of data, discussing, interpreting and presenting it in creative ways using ICT applications (interpretation phase).
October 2010 - KS2 pupils and participating teachers present their findings to school council, governors, parents, local authority, Eco-schools panel etc. (communication phase)
October 2010 Cluster day 4: research symposium involving participating teachers and pupils, disseminating findings from project
November 2011 Feed back at a science co-ordinators meeting
January 2011 - Participating teachers expected to lead CPD across KS2 within participant schools and more widely within authorities. Present at ASE 2012
 

Evaluation

An internal evaluation team from within Hillingdon LA to collect the following data:

1. Planning documentation from project team and schools
2. Pupil performance data (Sc1 data interpretation strand) at beginning, middle and end of project
3. Pupil attitude data as above
4. Participating teacher attitude and confidence data
5. Eco-school submissions
 

Additional

Outline dissemination plan

1. Research symposium in cluster day 4 to which LA representatives and other schools invited
2. Dissemination to other schools through the ‘participate’ website (www.participateschools.co.uk ), which has been adapted for the Ecomonitoring project to be a resource for teachers in schools throughout the UK.
3. CPD offered by participant teachers within and beyond schools, through the Science Learning Centre and Eco-schools networks
4. Addition of resources and materials to the AZSTT website
 

Contact

Cara Cahill
 

Email contact: ccahill@hillingdon.gov.uk