An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta
Department of Education and Science
Subject Inspection of Science
REPORT
Galway Community College
Móinín na gCiseach Galway
Roll number: 71400Q
Date of inspection: 26 November 2008
Subject provision and whole school support
Summary of main findings and recommendations
Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Science
Subject inspection report
This report has been written following a subject inspection in Galway Community College. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Science and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and subject teachers. The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report; a response was not received from the board.
Subject provision and whole school support
Galway Community College is a co-educational community college under the auspices of City of Galway Vocational Education Committee. The school draws its student cohort from a wide range of backgrounds and socio-demographic groups. It benefits from resources and supports provided by the Department of Education and Science under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) initiative.
In recent years, the school has made Science a core subject at junior cycle and this shows good support for the subject. The time allocation for Science includes double lesson periods and this is in accordance with the recommendations of the syllabus and relevant circular letters. The time allocated for Science consists of three lesson periods in first year and four periods each in second year and third year. However, the syllabus recommends a total time allocation of 240 to 270 hours over the three years of junior cycle and this is normally equivalent to four lesson periods weekly for each of the three years. Discussions with the senior school management revealed that the time allocation in first year results from timetabling constraints that arise because of a year-long taster programme. Methods of addressing the perceived shortfall in time for Science were discussed by the inspector and senior school management and it was agreed that the school would explore the options that were discussed and implement the most feasible solution.
Students in this school benefit from involvement in a range of science-related extracurricular activities. Their participation in these activities is supported by their teachers and much of this work happens in the teachers’ own time. The teachers’ dedication and commitment to supporting their students in this regard is to be highly commended. In addition, the science teachers have actively encouraged, through the Science for Fun project, the engagement of parents with Science and with their child’s education. This is hugely positive and is to be encouraged.
The school has two science laboratories and an adjacent preparation area. While the facilities are of older construction they have benefitted from recent modernisation and they are well maintained, in good repair, clean, and bright. The visual environment in the laboratories is one of an appealing scientific learning space. This environment is supported by displays of posters, charts, photographs and, most significantly, displays of students’ work. Displays of students’ work that are changed frequently provide opportunities to celebrate learning and they can serve to motivate students in future learning while also providing a valuable learning resource.
The preparation area is in very good order with all chemicals stored according to Department guidelines and best safety practice. In addition, a stock list was viewed and this showed that a high degree of organisation has been applied to the management of the science facilities. The very good work done by the science staff in organising and managing the laboratories and preparation area is to be commended.
There is very good provision of information and communications technology (ICT) resources for Science. The available resources include a notebook computer for every science teacher, a data projector, and an interactive whiteboard. There is enthusiasm among the science teachers to develop further the use of ICT in teaching and learning and this is to be encouraged.
There is good support by the school for the teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD). This support includes payment of fees for membership of the relevant subject association, facilitation in attending in-service, flexible timetabling arrangements that support participation in CPD events, and support for teachers’ engagement in research projects.
Planning and preparation
There are appropriate structures in place in the school to support subject planning. These structures include regular formal and informal meetings among the science teachers and the position of a science co-ordinator who operates within the posts of responsibility structure. Good practice in relation to science meetings was in evidence as minutes are maintained of the formal meetings.
A well developed subject plan was presented for inspection and it included a range of information that beneficially supported the delivery of Science. In building on the good work done in composing the subject plan it is recommended that the science teachers develop a section on teaching and learning methodologies. In doing this they should draw from and share their individual extensive experiences and expertise. This will support them in agreeing a common approach to trialling new learning techniques and teaching methodologies and to then evaluating the success of these trials in improving students’ learning.
Individual teachers’ planning files, where presented, were of a high standard and showed that appropriate records are maintained of students’ progress and attendance.
Nearly all students follow the Junior Certificate Schools Programme (JCSP) of which Science is a component. Samples of students’ profile statements were viewed. It was evident that students were participating frequently in the programme by completing their profile statements. There are good links between the JCSP and the science department as one of the science teachers is also a member of the JCSP planning team.
Teaching and learning
There was a very high level of preparation for the lessons observed. All materials were readily to hand and had been appropriately prepared in advance. The teachers all demonstrated a high level of subject matter expertise in the topics under study.
Across all of the lessons a range of teaching methodologies was, on the whole, employed effectively. In all of the lessons observed, efforts were made by the teachers to link the topics that were under study to students’ everyday experiences and this is to be commended.
Very good practice was recorded as the science staff has produced a range of foreign-language support materials for students for whom English is an additional language. In most lessons, opportunities were created and exploited to specifically help develop students’ reading and phonological abilities. The ongoing development of this good practice is to be encouraged. In supporting students with additional educational needs, the science staff has contributed to the production of learning-support materials produced under the auspices of the Special Education Support Service, www.sess.ie.
Where practical work was observed it was performed safely and it supported students in developing their understanding of the concepts being taught. In a small number of instances, improvements in students’ learning could have been achieved by greater use of a practical approach. This would have helped to anchor theoretical concepts in practical experiences by providing opportunities for students to learn by doing. The further integration of such an approach should form the initial point for consideration by the science department when developing the subject plan.
During the evaluation some very good use of ICT was observed. ICT was used to introduce new concepts in a visually stimulating manner, to reinforce what had been taught using text-based, diagrammatic and aural presentations, and to engage students in recapping on their learning using an electronic quiz. The integration of ICT beneficially supported students’ learning and this is to be commended.
All science classes are of mixed ability and, given the diversity of the student cohort, students present with a wide variety of learning needs. It was evident from discussions with the science teachers and from classroom observation that they are professional and committed in their work with their students. They accept each student as an individual and work with the student at his or her level. It is noteworthy that there were positive relationships between the students and their teachers during the lessons observed and that the students felt secure in volunteering information and asking questions of their teachers. In all lessons, students’ responses and contributions were affirmed and responded to positively by their teachers. This helped to support a positive learning atmosphere. In only a very few instances was there a need for the teacher to correct students’ behaviour and these instances involved only low level disruption or loss of attention by the student.
Interactions between the inspector and the students showed that the students were interested in Science and had a generally satisfactory understanding of the topics being studied.
Assessment
There are appropriate arrangements in place to regularly assess students’ progress in Science and to periodically report on it to parents. In addition, there are satisfactory structures in place to support communication between the school and parents and these include, for example, the use of parent-teacher meetings.
A sample of students’ copybooks was viewed. The copybooks showed that students’ work is monitored frequently by their teachers. The monitoring included the use of guiding and affirming comments and this is good practice.
The practice in this school is to informally and orally assess students’ practical skills while they perform their experimental work. In addition, the write up of the experimental work is also assessed by the teacher. In building on these good practices it is advised that the science department agree a common approach to formally assessing students’ practical skills and providing formal feedback to students. This might be achieved by defining for students a number of assessment categories such as: manual handling and manipulation skills, observation skills, recording skills, teamwork, and participation and then assessing a number of groups or individual students on a weekly basis while they perform their experimental work. This would provide immediate and formal feedback for students that could support self esteem and motivation and could be shared with parents to demonstrate their child’s progress.
Summary of main findings and recommendations
The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:
· The science staff is professional and dedicated in its work.
· Good work has been done in collaboratively creating a well developed subject plan.
· There was a very high level of preparation for all lessons observed.
· There was good use of affirmation in all lessons and positive relationships were observed between the students and their teachers.
· Good practice was noted where there was regular monitoring of students’ work and provision of guiding and affirming comments.
As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:
· Senior school management should, in collaboration with the science teachers, explore ways of ensuring that all students gain the time allocation for Science that is
prescribed by the syllabus.
· The subject plan should be developed to include a section on teaching and learning methodologies. This should be supported by the sharing of expertise and
experience among the science teachers, the trialling of new and additional teaching and learning strategies, and the evaluation of the impact of these strategies on
students’ learning.
· It is advised that the science department agree a common approach to formally assessing students’ practical skills and providing formal feedback to students.
Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teachers of Science and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.
Published February 2009