GCSE practical work in English secondary schools

Article


Viswarajan, S. 2017. GCSE practical work in English secondary schools. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 15-21. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7290
AuthorsViswarajan, S.
Abstract

In England, the GCSE science curriculum has been undergoing major changes, and the new school curriculum was implemented in September 2016. One of the big changes is that the internal assessment of practical work no longer counts towards the final GCSE science grade. It has been established that assessment influences teaching, so non-contribution of practical work to the final grade may dilute the funding for practical work conducted in schools, especially in GCSE lessons. However, the GCSE science exam paper will now include questions on practical work which may allow more lesson time to be devoted to discussion of results and observations of practical work, an area of development identified in previous studies. Discussions provide opportunities for learners to make links between the practical task and the underlying conceptual knowledge, thereby increasing the effectiveness of practical work. This article aims to explore the range of literature available on the effectiveness of science practical work in English secondary schools and consider the possible effects of the removal of internal assessment of practical work from the GCSE curriculum.

JournalResearch in Teacher Education
Research in Teacher Education
Journal citation7 (2), pp. 15-21
ISSN2046-1240
2047-3818
Year2017
PublisherUniversity of East London, Cass School of Education and Communities
Publisher's version
License
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7290
Web address (URL)https://www.uel.ac.uk/schools/cass/research/research-in-teacher-education/volume-7-no-2-november-2017
Publication dates
PrintNov 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited25 May 2018
Copyright information© 2017 The author
Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/84q0z

Download files


Publisher's version

Explore this article

Explore this article

Editorial
Czerniawski, G. 2017. Editorial. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), p. 5. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7285
You need to get out more: global goals, national priorities and local engagement
Herrington, N. 2017. You need to get out more: global goals, national priorities and local engagement. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 6-9. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7287
Making the good better: do youth social action initiatives impact the life chances of young people equally and what role can educational establishments play?
Hicks, Christina 2017. Making the good better: do youth social action initiatives impact the life chances of young people equally and what role can educational establishments play? Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 10-14. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7288
Supporting teacher trainees with Special Educational Needs
Oberholzer, L. 2017. Supporting teacher trainees with Special Educational Needs. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 22-26. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7289
A Case in Point...The use of a case scenario to enhance student engagement, theory of cellular respiration and Higher Order Thinking skills in preparation for transition from FE to HE.
Challen, Christine 2017. A Case in Point...The use of a case scenario to enhance student engagement, theory of cellular respiration and Higher Order Thinking skills in preparation for transition from FE to HE. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 27-33. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7284
The place of music education in a crowded school curriculum
Fautley, Martin 2017. The place of music education in a crowded school curriculum. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 34-37. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7286
Book Reviews
Theodotou, E., Shanks, Rachel and Hunt, R. 2017. Book Reviews. Research in Teacher Education. 7 (2), pp. 38-40. https://doi.org/10.15123/PUB.7283
  • 393
    total views
  • 505
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Teacher Educators and Expansive Learning in the Workplace and Beyond
Murray, J., Kidd, W., Mcmahon, A. and Viswarajan, S. 2020. Teacher Educators and Expansive Learning in the Workplace and Beyond. Frontiers in Education. 5 (Art. 84). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.00084
Developing a Pan-European Approach to Teacher Educators
Kidd, W., Mcmahon, A. and Viswarajan, S. 2019. Developing a Pan-European Approach to Teacher Educators. Research in Teacher Education. 9 (2), pp. 39-45. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.88z7v
Research in Teacher Education: Volume 9, No.2, Novermber 2019
Iqbal, F., Kidd, W., Schilling, L., Tyrer, C., Khanum, R., Raleigh, C., Roberts, D., Löbler, H., Challen, C., Spicksley, K., Mackrory, D., Leiss, D., Theodotou, E., Mcmahon, A., Viswarajan, S., Maier, M. and Markgraf, D. 2019. Research in Teacher Education: Volume 9, No.2, Novermber 2019. The School of Education and Communities, University of East London. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.88z58
Book Reviews: Explaing Primary Science
Viswarajan, S. 2019. Book Reviews: Explaing Primary Science. Research in Teacher Education. 9 (1), p. 48. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.88z56
Research in Teacher Education: Volume 9, No.1, May 2019
Garby-Czerniawski, G., Bates, G., De Carvalho, R., Mcbean, L., Ayres, D., Henry, L, Butterworth, A., Oberholzer, L., Noble-Rogers, J., Viswarajan, S., Gregory, L. and Connolly, S. 2019. Research in Teacher Education: Volume 9, No.1, May 2019. The School of Education and Communities, University of East London. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.88z03
Research in Teacher Education: Volume 7, No.2, November 2017
Czerniawski, G., Herrington, N., Hicks, Christina, Viswarajan, S., Oberholzer, L., Challen, Christine, Fautley, Martin, Theodotou, E., Shanks, Rachel and Hunt, R. 2017. Research in Teacher Education: Volume 7, No.2, November 2017. The School of Education and Communities, University of East London. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.891x2
Research in Teacher Education: Volume 3, No.2, October 2013
Czerniawski, G., Weston, C., Kidd, W., Atwal, Kulvarn, Bonilla Medina, S X, Etherington, Margaret, Weller, Alan, Fielding, Michael, Paffard, F., Wells, D., Guardini, Elena, Minnion, A., Kwiatkowska, G., Cruz Arcila, Ferney, Gariazzo, Julia and Viswarajan, S. 2013. Research in Teacher Education: Volume 3, No.2, October 2013. The School of Education and Communities, University of East London. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.89178
Book reviews
Paffard, F., Gariazzo, Julia and Viswarajan, S. 2013. Book reviews. Research in Teacher Education. 3 (2), pp. 51-55. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.85w23