Integrated curricula seem promising for the increase of attention on science and technology in primary education. A clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of integration efforts could help curriculum innovation. This review has focussed on integrated curricula in primary education from 1994 to 2011. The integrated curricula were categorized according to a taxonomy of integration types synthesized from the literature. The characteristics that we deemed important were related to learning outcomes and success/fail factors. A focus group was formed to facilitate the process of analysis and to test tentative conclusions. We concluded that the levels in our taxonomy were linked to (a) student knowledge and skills, the enthusiasm generated among students and teachers, and the teacher commitment that was generated; and (b) the teacher commitment needed, the duration of the innovation effort, the volume and comprehensiveness of required teacher professional development, the necessary teacher support, and the effort needed to overcome tensions with standard curricula. Almost all projects were effective in increasing the time spent on science at school. Our model resolves Czerniac’s definition problem of integrating curricula in a productive manner, and it forms a practical basis for decision-making by making clear what is needed and what output can be expected when plans are being formulated to implement integrated education.
In this study, a data feedback program to improve teachers’ science and technology (S&T) teaching skills was designed and tested. The aim was to understand whether and how the four design principles underlying this program stimulated the intended teacher support. We examined how teachers in different phases of their career applied and experienced the employed design principles’ key aspects. Eight in-service teachers and eight pre-service teachers attended the data feedback program and kept a logbook in the meantime. Group interviews were held afterwards. Findings show that applying the four employed design principles’ key aspects did support and stimulate in- and pre-service teachers in carrying out data feedback for improving their S&T teaching. However, some key aspects were not applied and/or experienced as intended by all attending teachers. The findings provide possible implications for the development and implementation of professional development programs to support in - and pre-service teachers’ S&T teaching using data feedback.
Thinking back and forth between observing physical phenomena and developing scientific ideas, also known as hands-on and minds-on learning, is essential for the development of scientific reasoning in primary science education. In the Netherlands, inquiry-based learning is advocated as the preferred teaching method. However, most teachers lack time and sufficient pedagogical content knowledge to adequately provide the teaching required for this. To address this problem, we designed and evaluated science and technology lessons, consisting of hands-on experiments combined with interactive diagrams, aimed at scaffolding primary school students (9–12 years) in the development of their scientific reasoning. Our proof-of-concept uses an online application, that lets students work through the lessons while alternating hands-on and minds-on activities. A study was carried out (n = 490) showing that most students successfully complete the lessons within a standard lesson timeframe. The approach enables students to effectively apply several types of scientific reasoning and to do so more autonomously than in traditional science classes.
