Earle, S 
ORCID: 0000-0002-6155-1098
(2024)
'Consideration of the impact of a professional
learning program to support the teaching and assessment of practical primary science in England.'
In: Sardag, M, Kaya, G and Sogut, M, eds.
Proceedings book series-I of the ESERA 2023 conference: connecting science education with cultural heritage.
Nobel Bilimsel Eserler, Cappadocia, Turkey, pp. 456-463.
ISBN 9786253939090
Abstract
In England, primary science is often struggling for time in an increasingly crowded curriculum and schools are requesting stronger evidence of impact to justify the time and money that could be spent on any professional learning program. This means that programs like the one described in this paper need to be clearer than ever about their proposed impact on teacher practice. The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS) Focused Assessment approach proposes that one focus is selected within the context of a whole inquiry, to support teaching and assessment. A three-day Focus4TAPS professional learning program has been developed to support teachers to implement this approach in primary science. The course has been delivered face-to-face and online. It has been the subject of a large-scale Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) randomized control trial in England. The EEF independent evaluation found a statistically significant impact on pupil learning. This paper will explore teacher survey data from the EEF evaluation, together with qualitative surveys completed by the course attendees during the program, to consider the process of implementation and described impact on practice. It is proposed that the TAPS Focused Assessment approach provides a manageable way for teaching and assessment of primary science inquiry, but that a sustained professional development program is necessary to support teacher understanding and formative use of assessment information gained from interaction with the children. This study provides insights that can inform the implementation of a similar approach in other contexts.
| Item Type: | Book Chapter or Section |
|---|---|
| UN SDGs: | Goal 4: Quality Education |
| Keywords: | primary science, professional learning, teacher assessment |
| Subjects: | L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1501 Primary Education |
| Divisions: | School of Education |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Oct 2024 18:42 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Oct 2024 18:42 |
| URI / Page ID: | https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/16634 |
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