Science and Mathematics Co-ordinator

Lead Research Organisation: King's College London
Department Name: Education,Communication & Society

Abstract

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Description 1. New knowledge about factors affecting participation in science and maths

The ASPIRES project revealed most young people report liking school science; have positive views of scientists; and say that their parents think it is important for them to learn science - yet the majority of 10-14 year olds (c.85%) do not aspire to science careers. ASPIRES proposed a new concept, 'science capital', showing how the more family science capital a child has, the more likely s/he is to aspire to study science post-16 and/or pursue a science career.

The UPMAP study found that encouragement from a significant adult (usually a family member or teacher) is also vital. Young people were more likely to continue with maths or physics if they had been supported over time by a key adult who has conveyed a belief in the value of the subject and in the young person's ability to succeed in it. However boys reported receiving greater encouragement than girls.

Both UPMAP and ASPIRES highlighted the importance of student perceptions of the utility of maths/science for future careers. Most students perceive science qualifications as leading only to a few narrow careers (ASPIRES), yet student perceptions of the extrinsic value of a subject (the extent to which it is useful for their future carers) is one of the most significant predictors of whether they plan to take the subject post-16 (UPMAP).

2: New analyses of patterns in attainment/ participation in science and maths

The EISER project found that, over time, double award GCSE has been declining in popularity whereas entries to triple award science and applied courses (e.g. BTECs, OCR Nationals) have risen sharply. Pupils with higher levels of prior attainment were more likely to take triple award science. EISER's analysis of the National Pupil Database found that students from disadvantaged backgrounds tended to do less well at Key Stage 4 and were less likely to be studying triple science, even when controlling for prior attainment.

The ICCAMS project investigated students' understandings of algebra, decimals, ratio and fractions and found that, with some exceptions, these are generally weak across Key Stage 3. Comparing current and historic attainment data, ICCAMS found that mathematical attainment has decreased slightly since the 1970s and that in algebra and ratio, the proportion of students scoring the lowest level of attainment has increased significantly.

3: Interventions for improving attainment in science and mathematics

The epiSTEMe project found that implementation of the mathematics component of its intervention enabled schools and teachers to develop a more dialogic teaching approach and improve the learning gains of students.

The ICCAMS project intervention was successful in enabling teachers to adapt their teaching to students' needs by using research-based teaching strategies and resulted in improved attainment, doubling the rate of learning over an academic year.

4: New dialogue between research and policy and agenda setting

The TISME programme created new fora for improving dialogue and understanding between researchers and policy-makers. This culminated in an agenda ('roadmap') for future STEM education research (see TISME final report).
Exploitation Route We hope that STEM organisations, policy makers and professional societies will be informed and influenced by TISME findings in their policy development work and in their outreach and delivery work.

In particular, we hope that policy makers will consider, reflect on and be informed by the policy messages detailed in our publication, 'Brighter Futures: Five ideas for improving STEM participation in England' (2014), for instance, in relation to rethinking: the limitations of A' levels; how STEM careers education might be delivered through the curriculum; how curriculum reform is undertaken and enacted; the prioritisation and funding of teacher CPD; how to tackle low attainment.

We hope that organisations that deliver STEM enrichment activities might be informed by - and change their provision in line with - key TISME project messages, for instance in terms of: targeting younger age groups; changing focus to prioritise building science capital; finding ways to emphasise the extrinsic value and transferability of science/maths qualifications; targeting families; better supporting girls and other underrepresented groups; and improving the inclusiveness and equity of science and maths education. Teachers might consider implementing the successful aspects of the ICCAMS and epiSTEMe interventions within their teaching.
Sectors Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Other
URL http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/education/research/cppr/Research/pastproj/TISME/Index.aspx
 
Description There are three key ways in which the findings from the Targeted Initiative on Science and Mathematics Education (TISME) have achieved impact: (1) shifting STEM education policy discourse and debate in the UK; (2) changing and informing educational practice among teachers and schools; (3) Informing the policy and practice of organisations involved in STEM enrichment activities. 1. Shifting the STEM education policy debate in the UK Through TISME, the five constituent projects have created a shift in the policy discourse on engagement and participation in school science and mathematics and have resulted in substantive change in national policy. For instance, TISME has affected a shift away from the simplistic assumption that 'interest' is the key factor driving engagement and participation, towards a more nuanced understanding of how a range of factors (personal, social and structural) all contribute to the development of engagement and participation. Concepts and understandings developed by particular TISME projects are now established features of UK STEM education policy discourse, including: 'science capital' (ASPIRES), the importance of views around the transferability of science and maths qualifications (ASPIRES and UPMAP), the role of gender in relation to STEM participation (ASPIRES and UPMAP) and the role of significant adults on young people's participation (UPMAP). Moreover, TISME projects have led to substantive national and international policy change. For instance, the ICCAMS survey finding that, at age 14, English students' understandings have declined in comparison to those of 1976/7 has had very significant effects on government policy relating to mathematics education. This evidence was used by government ministers and their advisors to justify measures to improve mathematics education an increased emphasis on multiplicative reasoning in the revised National Curriculum, as well as influencing the detailed development of the National Curriculum in relation to students' understanding of particular topics. TISME projects collectively, and individually, informed the DfE National Curriculum Review (NCR) in 2011. For instance, Prof. Jim Ryder (EISER) was invited to join the NCR Science Expert Working Group and Prof. Louise Archer (lead TISME coordinator) was invited to submit and discuss TISME's written evidence with Number 10. TISME has enabled dissemination to policy-makers and other stakeholders. E.g., as a result of her attendance at the TISME conference, Beyond STEM: Policies and practices for a better society, 2012, Elizabeth Truss MP circulated an ICCAMS briefing to the media as supporting evidence for her proposals about post-16 maths. Elizabeth Truss and Michael Gove (then Secretary of State for Education) also used ASPIRES evidence and slides in talks on science participation. The ICCAMS survey findings have been regularly cited in ministerial speeches about mathematics education (e.g., speeches by schools ministers: Nick Gibb MP, 10 July 2012; Elizabeth Truss MP, 11 December 2012). The ICCAMS survey findings have been requested and used by DfE Special Advisers (e.g., ICCAMS findings about standards over time feature in Dominic Cummings' Some Thoughts on Education and Political Priorities, his widely publicised thesis on his time as special adviser to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education). ASPIRES and UPMAP have also centrally influenced the 'Your Life' campaign (http://yourlife.org.uk/). Evidence provided by Rebecca Rylatt (Science Team Leader, DfE, email: 20/11/2014) shows that: "Findings from ASPIRES have directly influenced the government's recent STEM policies. They have been a key driver to the DfE launching a cross government campaign to raise participation in maths and science. The Your Life campaign aims to raise awareness of the routes maths and science can lead to and to dispel myths/ change perceptions about science. TISME projects' various findings and recommendations are widely cited, including in all major STEM participation government policy reports (e.g. 22/3/13, Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) Briefing ; 4/6/14, Women's Business Council report; 10/2013, Cabinet Office Review of Interventions for 16-24 Year Olds; BIS Review of Engineering Skills, conducted by the Chief Scientific Advisor Professor John Perkins). Findings have also informed specific policy documents, such as section 1.1.12 (providing STEM careers education from primary upwards) in the Liberal Democrats manifesto (9/ 2014) 'Expanding Opportunity, Unlocking potential'. All the TISME projects have also had extensive national media coverage. 2. Changing and informing educational practice among teachers and schools ICCAMS findings were the impetus for a major Department for Education (DfE) initiative on mathematics pedagogy, the Key Stage 3 multiplicative reasoning project led by the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM). This project drew heavily on the ICCAMS teaching approach in the development of exemplar teaching materials. ICCAMS has also been used in video materials to exemplify the teaching of multiplicative reasoning at KS3 produced by NCETM to support teachers' implementation of the National Curriculum. Using the ICCAMS approach as an exemplar, ICCAMS has directly contributed to the NCETM KS3 Project teaching materials as well as providing advice on professional development. Several of the TISME projects directly impacted on educational practice through the development and trialling of interventions with teachers aimed at improving student engagement and/or participation with science/ mathematics. For instance, during the study, ICCAMS materials were used by 31 teachers from 16 schools with approximately 1000 students. Subsequently, the materials have been requested by 161 teachers for further trialling. ICCAMS has also provided professional development for 14 teachers from 11 schools in South Africa with approximately 650 students. In Singapore, the leading school, Raffles International School, is currently using ICCAMS tests to benchmark student performance internationally. The Episteme project was developed and trialled with teachers in around 30 British secondary schools, and a number of Chilean schools. ASPIRES also worked directly with c.10 teachers in London schools (developing and testing out approaches to encourage students to see science as 'for me' and to encourage future participation) and an ASPIRES publication is now required reading for c.1000 TeachFirst teachers as part of the TeachFirst Summer Institute curriculum each summer. The EISER project gas developed contributions to the training programme at the National Science Learning Centre (York) and the Science Learning Centre (London) - a key mechanisms for influencing the practice of science teachers in schools. 3. Informing the policy and practice of organisations involved in STEM enrichment activities. Numerous STEM and ISL (informal science learning) organisations have changed their practice as a result of TISME projects' findings. For instance, numerous organisations (such as EDT and the RSC) are now targeting their activities at younger age groups, in line with ASPIRES findings that views of science as being 'not for me' are evident among primary age children. At the Institute of Physics, ASPIRES work has been described as a 'game changer' (Charles Tracy, Head of Education, email 25/1/14) impacting many areas of IOP work and practice. Together, ASPIRES and UPMAP findings around gender and participation have shaped the content of the IOP's delivery work (e.g. 'Its different for girls' workshop held at the Big Bang Fair 2012 and the IOP's suite of Girls and Physics delivery projects. The Royal Institution's new ExpeRimental project (online resources aimed at promoting family engagement with science) is directly influenced and shaped by ASPIRES findings around the role of the family (Olympia Brown, Science Learning Manager, email 26 November 2014). The Royal Academy of Engineering and Institution of Mechanical Engineers reports that Aspires findings have played a very significant part in developing the thinking of the respective organisations towards promoting STEM education, including shaping the development of a major new re-branding and marketing campaign that the Academy is currently developing with major industry companies. ASPIRES findings have also had a significant impact on the science museums and discovery centres sector. For instance the Science Museum Group has embedded the ASPIRES concept of science capital across its new learning strategy. The Centre for Life, Newcastle has used ASPIRES findings to inform the redesign of their exhibitions, moving away from being primarily content-delivery vehicles to facilities designed to act upon the factors that influence interest and participation in science, as identified by ASPIRES. UPMAP are now working with the RSC because of the UPMAP work to increase the take-up of higher education chemistry by disadvantaged students.
First Year Of Impact 2009
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services