Australia at the crossroads: A review
of school science practical work
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Queensland University of Technology, AUSTRALIA
Publication date: 2012-01-12
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2012;8(1):35-47
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
In Australia we are at a crossroads in science education. We have come from a long
history of adopting international curricula, through to blending international and
Australian developed materials, to the present which is a thoroughly unique Australian
curriculum in science. This paper documents Australia’s journey over the past 200 years,
as we prepare for the implementation of our first truly Australian National Curriculum.
One of the unique aspects of this curriculum is the emphasis on practical work and
inquiry-based learning. This paper identifies seven forms of practical work currently used
in Australian schools and the purposes aligned with each form by 138 pre-service and
experienced in-service teachers. The paper explores the question ‘What does the
impending national curriculum, with its emphasis on practical inquiry mean to the teachers
now - are they ready?’ The study suggests that practical work in Australian schools is
multifaceted, and the teacher-aligned purposes are dependent not only upon the age of the
student, but also on the type of practical work being undertaken. It was found that most
teachers are not ready to teach using inquiry-based pedagogy and cite lack of content
knowledge, behaviour management, lack of physical resources and availability of
classroom space as key issues which will hinder their implementation of the inquiry
component of Australia’s pending curriculum in science.