Science
Updated: Feb 2000
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Case Studies - Clarkson Community High School
  Planning Around a Theme - Science Program The teacher responsible for science in Grey Learning Community explained that she developed the science program by aligning the desired science learning area outcomes with the themes. Initially the science outcomes for the year were determined and then compared with the themes. Suitable programs of work were developed that would address the outcomes as well as complement the learning community theme. In term three of 1997, the students studied a science topic titled Should I Ride a Bike? which examined physics concepts such as pulleys, levers and planes. The students also worked on a related computer CD package called The Incredible Machines. The teacher explained how these science topics were related to the learning community term theme of decision making.
Planning Around a Theme - Mathematics Although the teacher responsible for mathematics in Grey Learning Community praised the thematic approach, he found it difficult to integrate the mathematics content with the themes. He said that the mathematics program in the school is quite structured. This mathematics teacher was new to the school this year and although he had a social studies major teaching and mathematics minor teaching qualification, had always taught mathematics in schools. He found designing and implementing the mathematics program time consuming and difficult.
Another factor that the teacher felt made the teaching of mathematics in the Learning Community difficult was the heterogeneous nature of the classes.
Finally, the teacher was frustrated by the lack of teaching materials for an integrated maths program.
Planning Around a Theme - Technology & Enterprise The design and technology teacher explained that every five or six weeks the Year 8 and Year 9 students were given a design brief and a research assignment based on a topic such as environment, minerals, woods or tools and equipment. The research assignment had to be carried out in the students' own time and class time was used to design and make the product from the design brief. The students could not continue with designing and making if the research assignment was not completed by a designated date. This approach was compatible with the school's ethos of students taking responsibility for their own actions. Year 8 students participated in a general introduction course where they learned procedures, safety and a code of conduct and agreed to a contract, like a workplace agreement. The teacher said that it was difficult to tie the research assignment and design brief with the learning community themes, for example, decision-making. On the other hand, he pointed out that literacy was clearly integrated into the technology and enterprise course through the interpretation of the design brief and the written research assignments. Mathematics skills were utilised in the technology and enterprise course, especially measurement. Computing was also integrated with students using word processors for their research assignments and programs such as CAD, for the design of products. Computers and design software were also used when students worked with community computers on their research assignments and designs. Wood was the primary material used in the Technology and Enterprise Centre at Clarkson Community High School since the equipment for this new building was still being installed. The teacher suggested that it is possible to link the use of wood in technology and enterprise to science learning, for example, by the study of how trees grow, but this had not been done to a great extent. Other materials used in technology and enterprise such as metals and plastics would also be conducive to integration with science and the teacher suggested that as the school becomes more established these links will become possible. The teacher remarked that technology links across all learning areas, especially in contexts such as electronics and robotics. He believes that teaching must involve an integrated system because students need to be exposed to all learning areas and they must see links between these areas. He suggested that problem solving projects such as designing solar powered cars and bridge building exercises in technology and enterprise incorporate a lot of physics and other conceptual knowledge.
The Special Case of Integrating Information Technology Clarkson Community High School has a special focus on information technology to enable students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the nature of information technology - as a tool to access, research, verify, and present information. Students have access to an information technology network inside and outside the school. There are two computer laboratories that have enough computers for one per student in an average size class. In addition, each learning community has a bank of eight computers that the students can access readily from their classrooms. Each learning community staff room also has a computer. In 1997, Year 8 students completed a three week course in basic computing and network skills. In addition, the Year 8 and Year 9 students did a 10 week course with the aim of further developing their skills in utilising information technology. The integration of information technology is encouraged in all subject areas and assignments from other subjects such as science, maths, and technology and enterprise can be used in the information technology lessons as a practical way to develop the student's skills.
The information technology teacher suggested that one of the major determining factors for the integration of information technology with the other learning areas was the computer literacy of the staff and the amount of training they had received. The teacher also commented that information technology is over-used by some teachers and that there needs to be a reasonable balance established. Teachers are also very busy because the school is new and integration of information technology into other learning areas is just another thing on the list to do. The poor literacy of some of the students was observed by the information technology teacher to limit the students' ability to use computers and those students who did not complete the information technology course until term 3 or 4 were disadvantaged because they did not have the skills in the earlier terms.
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