Critical Reflective Practice as a Pivot in Transforming Science Education: A report of teacher‐researcher collaborative interactions in response to assessment reforms

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of a current educational policy initiative in Singapore called ‘Science Practical Assessment’ (SPA). SPA is designed to overcome the limitations of single, high‐stakes examinations by placing emphasis on research processes, entrepreneurship and the development of science practical skills. Structurally, SPA repositions teachers as central in the selection of items to teach and assess during the academic years leading up to O‐level. However, it is contended that the effectiveness of SPA is rendered problematic without specific attention being paid to teachers’ readiness and capacity to understand and implement assessment innovations. In response, the author describes and analyses how he formed a research partnership with a local physics teacher to investigate how SPA could be used as a tool to improve science pedagogy. Results suggest that while the pragmatic considerations of assessment reforms are not sufficient in themselves to bring about policymakers’ desired outcomes, ways can be found to help teachers prepare for, bring about and crucially own change by adopting a critically reflective stance on problems and issues that arise when students work on completing laboratory tasks. The methods used in this study also identify some of the factors that impact on teachers’ ability to influence positive developments at the department and school levels of an educational system. Overall, the intention is that the teacher development strategies and classroom practices illustrated in the paper will eventually inform a programme of interventionist action in science pedagogy and practical work assessment with applications both in and beyond the immediate study context.

Acknowledgements

This paper is the result of research conducted as part of the project titled, ‘Designing Tasks to Teach SPA Skills at Lower Secondary Level’ funded through the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The author is deeply indebted to the teacher whose views, knowledge and experiences form the core of the study reported. He also wishes to thank A. M. Venthan, Tan Aik Ling, Gayathri d/o Dorairaju, Logapreyan Renganathan and Margery Osborne for their assistance in the study and in writing this article. He is also grateful for the comments made by reviewers on previous drafts during the manuscript review process.

Notes

1. The teacher’s name is a pseudonym.

2. In the Singapore secondary school system, pupils are streamed according to ability levels determined by results in high‐stakes, standardised tests. The ‘express’ stream is the highest at the study site.

3. It is important to note that SPA is meant for students in their third and fourth year of secondary schooling only. However, at the study site, the Principal and Head of the Science Department favoured adopting SPA‐informed practices across all levels in the school prior to O‐level.

4. This text was cited verbatim.

5. The boiled egg was referred to in class as a ‘cooked’ egg.