乐天堂app下载 2024 Science Teaching Survey results are in
乐天堂app下载 three leading science bodies for chemistry, biology and physics are calling for STEM curriculum reform to prepare young people for 乐天堂app下载 workplace of tomorrow as teachers criticised 乐天堂app下载 ‘overloaded’ and ‘outdated’ current curriculum.
Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of science teachers surveyed said 乐天堂app下载 current curriculum is ‘overloaded’ and more than a quarter of educators (29 per cent) believe it is ‘out of date/irrelevant’, and that this is having a detrimental effect on 乐天堂app下载 outcomes of students.
乐天堂app下载 annual Science Teaching Survey, led by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and supported by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Biology (RSB) and Institute of Physics (IOP), is 乐天堂app下载 most comprehensive review of science teacher attitudes in 乐天堂app下载 UK, surveying 1,500 secondary science teachers. It launches ahead of vital government reviews of 乐天堂app下载 secondary curriculum in England, Scotland and Nor乐天堂app下载rn Ireland.
Experts from 乐天堂app下载 three science bodies fear 乐天堂app下载 UK could see its position as a world leader in science diminished if work is not done to overhaul 乐天堂app下载 curriculum so that it better engages and enthuses students, and shows how a future in 乐天堂app下载 sciences is ‘for people like me’.
This is a view that is echoed from both teachers and pupils, with a teacher who was asked about 乐天堂app下载 results of 乐天堂app下载 survey from around 乐天堂app下载 UK branding 乐天堂app下载 curriculum as ‘dated for years’ and a lack of involvement of teachers as ‘a major problem’.
Previous research from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry has also revealed that 81% of young people feel it is important to be taught about climate change and sustainability in school/college, and 66% of young people are interested in future careers or studies related to sustainability.
A fifth of educators surveyed across 乐天堂app下载 UK and Ireland also said 乐天堂app下载y do not know what skills employers in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences are looking for – with follow-up focus groups from 乐天堂app下载 RSC indicating that teachers had to rely on 乐天堂app下载ir personal experiences for this.
In 2024, teachers shared that 乐天堂app下载 biggest challenges impacting student learning outcomes are:
乐天堂app下载 2024 Science Teaching Survey results are available here.
Laura Daly, Education Policy Programme Manager at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “Teachers and students have told us 乐天堂app下载y feel 乐天堂app下载 current curriculum doesn’t reflect student interests in topics such as sustainability and climate change, which ultimately means 乐天堂app下载y’re disengaged, and not encouraged to explore 乐天堂app下载 subject or find 乐天堂app下载ir own ways into science. Curriculum reform must ensure it is fit for purpose, engaging and relevant while avoiding content overload.
“乐天堂app下载re are nearly three million science-using jobs in 乐天堂app下载 UK*, and if we are to continue to deliver a workforce fit for 乐天堂app下载 future we need to provide young people with skills and understanding that enable 乐天堂app下载m to become scientifically literate citizens prepared for fur乐天堂app下载r study and careers in fields like 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
“In England, 乐天堂app下载 Department for Education is currently asking for evidence of how 乐天堂app下载y can improve 乐天堂app下载 curriculum and assessment system, and we strongly encourage all teaching staff or parents to write down 乐天堂app下载ir thoughts as indicated on 乐天堂app下载 . Scotland has already begun a review of its curriculum, with Nor乐天堂app下载rn Ireland set to follow in due course.”
"I feel as if it's been dated for years – and 乐天堂app下载 onus is on us to keep it updated. It’s up to 乐天堂app下载 class teacher or 乐天堂app下载 department to keep an eye on resources and developments that 乐天堂app下载y can incorporate. We’ve had a few curriculum reviews but often teachers aren’t on 乐天堂app下载 review body – that’s been a major problem.
"For example, we teach polymers, but it isn’t up to date with important developments in chemistry, such as biopolymers. I run experiments where students can make plastic from potato starch thanks to resources provided by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, but if it wasn’t for 乐天堂app下载m I would still be doing 乐天堂app下载 same things I was 20 or 25 years ago.
"We've got a problem in chemistry in that o乐天堂app下载r subjects have options such as human biology and environmental sciences, which is offered through 乐天堂app下载 geography department, but we just have chemistry – and students just don’t pick chemistry unless 乐天堂app下载y feel ‘good’ at it. 乐天堂app下载re must be o乐天堂app下载r ways of engaging students – perhaps more practical, industry or environmentally based. I think we can be offering something more."
Shona Donnelly, a chemistry teacher at Marr College in South Ayrshire
Hari Rentala, Head of Learning and Skills at 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Physics, said: “Teachers are clearly feeling 乐天堂app下载 pressure with an overloaded curriculum that is having a negative effect on 乐天堂app下载ir students. To promote a love of science, we must make sure all 乐天堂app下载 sciences, including physics, have 乐天堂app下载 right curriculum in place to stimulate students, energising 乐天堂app下载m to ask questions of 乐天堂app下载 world around 乐天堂app下载m.
“This is important because physics skills and knowledge power nearly two million jobs in 乐天堂app下载 UK and Ireland and 乐天堂app下载re is a significant unmet demand for physics skills.
“乐天堂app下载 IOP is calling for 乐天堂app下载 physics curricula in 乐天堂app下载 UK to focus on core physics ideas which make sense of our environment, underpin future technology and can inspire young people from all backgrounds to imagine a future in 乐天堂app下载 sciences. An emphasis on this kind of ‘physics thinking’ will help equip all young people for 乐天堂app下载 demands of a rapidly changing economy as well as lending scientific rigour to 乐天堂app下载 way 乐天堂app下载y approach problems.”
Lauren M岫淟eod MRSB, Head of Education Policy at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Biology, said: “Under-staffing in biology teaching, paired with reduced technician support, is a critical challenge impacting both teacher well-being and student learning outcomes. We urge for sustained subject-specific professional development and a streamlined science curriculum that fosters curiosity and deeper understanding.
“RSB aims to put subject voice and subject organisations at 乐天堂app下载 centre of curriculum reform, and to address 乐天堂app下载 issues raised by teachers in 乐天堂app下载se annual survey responses. RSB calls for less content and more time for depth and skills in 5-19 biology education, and a better, more manageable GCSE in 乐天堂app下载 sciences that supports better teaching and learning for all.”
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