Australian Curriculum Summary And Analysis

Education plays a key role in empowering students to participate in a scientific and technologically driven society. We live in a world characterized by extraordinary technological and scientific discoveries, explorations and inventions in which science and technology are imbedded throughout all aspects of our lives (Kerre, n.d.). Science and technology explain how our world works – from the natural world of weather and environment to the made world of transportation, construction, food and fibre production and communication as stated by The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2012).

Our world is changing rapidly and science and technology play an integral

There are three types of assessment: formative (assessment for learning), summative (assessment of learning) and self-assessment (assessment as learning) (NSW Government, 2014). Teachers can assess students’ science knowledge, strategies and skills using rubrics and checklists to review project and problem-based learning products and processes. Rubrics provide clear guidelines for measuring student achievements against a range of assessment criteria and expected performance standards. They can be use by the teacher and employed in both self and peer-assessed activities. Rubrics clarify assessment requirements, and allow teachers to give specific feedback to students about their assessments and performance (University of New South Wales [UNSW], 2014). Teachers can examine students’ as they work, ask questions and record observations of students engaged in a variety of learning activities. Teachers can assess drawings, models and portfolios that illustrate a student’s efforts, growth and achievement over an entire science and technology unit. Teachers can engage students in peer assessment where students assess one another’s performance against a set criteria or self-assessment

PBL is a student-centred approach that involves learning through solving realistic problems, while promoting skills in collaboration, communication and reflection from numerous perspectives (Savery, 2006; Yelland, Cope, & Kalantzis, 2008). When teaching science it is important to create problems that are as close to real-life scenarios as possible. Students can examine the problem, research and analyse possible solutions, gather data, develop and test design solutions and produce the final answer (Roberts, 1997).

Collaborative learning is another approach to teach science as it encourages group work. Students can be placed in small groups to conduct experiments and problem solving activities. The teacher’s role is to monitor, observe and assist students with problem solving tasks, ask open-ended questions and encourage students. Hudson, (2010) suggests that using the collaborative learning approach, teachers can foster students learning of cognitive and social skills, provide extension activities and assist students with their roles, responsibilities and