From recipe to enquiry – a curriculum tool for science teachers to align policy with practice in practical lessons

Figures & data

Figure 1. Universal policy contradictions in STEM education. The three stages of a Design-Based Research Project.

Figure 2. The overall structure of the development and evaluation of the SEOS through Design-Based Research.

Figure 3. An example of the skill attainment section of one Leaving Certificate mandatory activity as outlined in the Teacher's Handbook for Laboratory Work (GOI 2003, 24).

Figure 4. The reference to interpretation, application and practical enquiry subskills in practical policy (GOI 2003, 4).

Table 1. An example of the SEOS for a Microscopy practical lesson.

Skills as outlined in the syllabus document	Breakdown of syllabus skills	Microscopy
Following instructions	Follow the instructions step by step	4
	Listen carefully to the teacher's instructions	5
Correct manipulation of apparatus	Labelling solutions and equipment	0
	Using given apparatus in the correct manner	5
	Correct preparation of solutions and mixtures	4
	Using and/or measuring time as a variable	n/a
	Correct use of a measuring instrument	5
	Take an accurate reading	5
Observation	Accurate observation (using equipment)	4
	Appropriate observation of the phenomenon under study	3
	Complete observation of the phenomenon under study	3
Recording	Careful recording of data	5
	Write up the procedure	5
	Perform calculations as required	n/a
	Tabulate results	n/a
	Draw diagrams or graphs to represent data collection	n/a
Interpretation	Draw reasonable conclusions from your observations and results	4
	Conclusions should ensue from hypothesis being tested	4
	Coherent final interpretation that explains how results are reached	2
Application	Awareness of any other application of what was learned	1
	Consider the results in a wider context	2
	Identify an activity that serves as a model for further investigation	4
Practical enquiry	Consideration of ambiguous results	3
	Repetition of activity if necessary	5
	Design of a new activity	4
Use of the scientific method as outlined in the syllabus documents	Making initial observations	4
	Forming a hypotheses	4
	Designing a controlled experiment	3
	Reporting and publishing results	4
	Appreciation of errors	4
	Use of controls to reduce errors	5
	Collecting data – see observation / recording above
	Interpreting data & reaching conclusions – see interpretation above
	Placing conclusions in the context of existing knowledge & development of theory and principal – see application above

0 = This skill is a feature of the syllabus recommendations but not evident in this lesson; 1 = Teacher completes this skill with no input from students; 2 = Teacher mostly completes this skill with a little input from students; 3 = Most students complete this skill with some assistance from the teacher; 4 = Most students complete this skill with a little assistance from the teacher; 5 = Most students complete this skill without assistance from the teacher.

Table 2. The sample of participants that took part in each stage of the research.

Name^a	Years of experience	School	Cycle 1 Participation Scoping Stage 2018	Cycle 2 Participation Formative evaluation
			Observation/interview	Sub-cycle 1 SEOS 2018	Sub-cycle 2 SEOS 2019	Sub-cycle 3 SEOS 2020	Sub-cycle 4 Interview 2020
Ms. Brown	38	1	Yes/No
Mr. Kerwin	12	2	Yes/No	x3
Ms. Rogan	15	3	Yes/Yes	x1
Mr. Donnell	4	4	Yes/Yes	x2		x3	Yes
Ms. Hollywell	5	4	Yes/No			x2	Yes
Mr. Jones	6	2	Yes/Yes	x1
Ms. Reilly	4	2	Yes/Yes	x3
Ms. Byrne	8	5	Yes/Yes	x1	x1
Ms. Hughes	5	5	Yes/No
Second level Students		2, 4	x16				x4
Pre-service teachers				x2	x2

^a Pseudonym.

Table 3. Location and description of schools in the sample studied.

School number	Location	Description	Approximate no. students
1	East Midlands	Urban	400 mixed
2	East Midlands	Rural	650 mixed
3	East Midlands	Urban	1200 mixed
4	South	Urban	1000 mixed
5	East	Urban	800 mixed
6	South-East	Rural	400 mixed
7	South-East	Rural	1000 mixed

Figure 5. A photograph of field notes for a lesson observation on the heart dissection.

Table 4. Scoping stage observations of 10 practical lessons using the SEOS.

Skills from syllabus	Breakdown of Skills	Expt 1	Expt 2	Expt 3	Expt 4	Expt 5	Expt 6	Expt 7	Expt 8	Expt 9	Expt 10
Following instructions	Follow the instructions step by step	4	4	3	4	3	3	4	4	4	3
	Listen carefully to the teacher's instructions	5	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	5	5
Correct manipulation of apparatus	Labelling solutions and equipment	5	5	0	n/a	3	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	3
	Using given apparatus in the correct manner	4	4	3	4	4	1	2	2	0	1
	Correct preparation of solutions and mixtures	1	1	3	4	3	1	2	2	n/a	n/a
	Using and/or measuring time as a variable	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	n/a
	Correct use of a measuring instrument	5	5	2	n/a	0	n/a	2	2	0	n/a
	Take an accurate reading	0	0	2	n/a	0	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	n/a
Observation	Accurate observation (using equipment)	5	5	2	5	0	0	4	0	0	3
	Appropriate observation of the phenomenon	5	5	2	4	0	0	4	4	2	3
	Complete observation of the phenomenon	0	0	0	5	0	0	n/a	0	0	3
Recording	Careful recording of data	5	5	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	3
	Write up the procedure	3	3	5	4	0	n/a	5	4	3	5
	Perform calculations as required	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	n/a	n/a	n/a	2*	n/a
	Tabulate results	5	5	0	n/a	1*	n/a	n/a	n/a	1*	0
	Draw diagrams or graphs to represent data collection	1	1	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	5	0	4
Interpretation	Draw reasonable conclusions from your observations and results	1	1	1	4	1	n/a	1	1	1	3
	Conclusions should ensue from hypothesis being tested	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	0	0	0	0
	Coherent final interpretation that explains how results are reached	1	1	1	1	1	n/a	1	1	1	1
Application	Awareness of any other application of what was learned	0	0	1	2	1	n/a	4	0	0	0
	Consider the results in a wider context	0	0	0	1	0	n/a	1	0	0	0
	Identify an activity that serves as a model for further investigation	0	0	0	2	0	n/a	2	0	0	0
Practical enquiry	Consideration of ambiguous results	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	n/a	n/a	1	1	0
	Repetition of activity if necessary	0	0	n/a	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0
	Design of a new activity	0	0	0	4	0	n/a	0	0	0	0
Use of the scientific method as outlined in the syllabus documents	Making initial observations	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Forming a hypotheses	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Designing a controlled experiment	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Reporting and publishing results	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Appreciation of errors	0	1	0	n/a	1	0	n/a	1	1	n/a
	Use of controls to reduce errors	3	4	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	n/a
	Collecting data – see observation/recording
	Interpreting data & reaching conclusions – see interpretation
	Placing conclusions in the context of existing knowledge & development of theory and principal – see application

0 = This skill is a feature of the syllabus recommendations but not evident in this lesson; 1 = Teacher completes this skill with no input from students; 2 = Teacher mostly completes this skill with a little input from students; 3 = Most students complete this skill with some assistance from the teacher; 4 = Most students complete this skill with a little assistance from the teacher; 5 = Most students complete this skill without assistance from the teacher; * = Phenomenon not produced. Teachers showed a different data set.

Table 5. Data collected from the second design cycle using the SEOS.

Skills from syllabus	Breakdown of skills	DNA IST	Photosyn-thesis PST	Immobilised enzymes PST
Following instructions	Follow the instructions step by step	4	5	5
	Listen carefully to the teacher's instructions	4	5	5
Correct manipulation of apparatus	Labelling solutions and equipment	0	1	1
	Using given apparatus in the correct manner	5	5	5
	Correct preparation of solutions and mixtures	5	1	5
	Using and/or measuring time as a variable	5	5	5
	Correct use of a measuring instrument	5	5	5
	Take an accurate reading	–	*	5
Observation	Accurate observation (using equipment)	5	0	5
	Appropriate observation of the phenomenon under study – (was the correct aspect of the phenomenon observed)	5	0	5
	Complete observation of the phenomenon under study (producing the correct phenomenon)	5	0	5
Recording	Careful recording of data	0	*	3
	Write up the procedure	0	5	5
	Perform calculations as required	n/a	3	-
	Tabulate results	n/a	1	1
	Draw diagrams or graphs to represent data collection	n/a	1	1
Interpretation	Draw reasonable conclusions from your observations and results	0	0	2
	Conclusions should ensue from hypothesis being tested	0	1	1
	Coherent final interpretation that explains how results are reached	0	1	1
Application	Awareness of any other application of what was learned	2	1	1
	Consider the results in a wider context	2	1	1
	Identify an activity that serves as a model for further investigation	2	0	0
Practical enquiry	Consideration of ambiguous results	n/a	1	n/a
	Repetition of activity if necessary	n/a	0	n/a
	Design of a new activity	0	0	0
Use of the scientific method as outlined in the syllabus documents	Making initial observations	0	1	0
	Forming a hypothesis	2	1	0
	Designing a controlled experiment	1	3	1
	Reporting and publishing results	0	5	5
	Appreciation of errors	0	1	n/a
	Use of controls to reduce errors	0	n/a	1
	Collecting data – see observation / recording above	–	1	3
	Interpreting data & reaching conclusions – see interpretation above	–	1	2
	Placing conclusions in the context of existing knowledge & development of theory and principal – see application above	–	1	1

0 = This skill is a feature of the syllabus recommendations but not evident in this lesson; 1 = Teacher completes this skill with no input from students; 2 = Teacher mostly completes this skill with a little input from students; 3 = Most students complete this skill with some assistance from the teacher; 4 = Most students complete this skill with a little assistance from the teacher; 5 = Most students complete this skill without assistance from the teacher; * = Phenomenon not produced. Teachers showed a different data set.

Table 6. Data collected from the third design cycle using the SEOS.

Skills from syllabus	Breakdown of syllabus skills	Micro-scopy	Enzymes – catalase activity	Enzymes – effect of temperature	Enzymes – catalase activity	Enzymes assessment
Following instructions	Follow the instructions step by step	4	5	5	5	5
	Listen carefully to the teacher's instructions	5	5	5	5	5
Correct manipulation of apparatus	Labelling solutions and equipment	0	5	5	0	0
	Using given apparatus in the correct manner	5	5	5	5	5
	Correct preparation of solutions and mixtures	4	5	5	5	5
	Using and/or measuring time as a variable	n/a	5	5	5	5
	Correct use of a measuring instrument	5	5	5	5	5
	Take an accurate reading	5	5	5	5	5
Observation	Accurate observation (using equipment)	4	5	5	5	5
	Appropriate observation of the phenomenon under study	3	5	5	5	5
	Complete observation of the phenomenon under study	3	5	5	5	5
Recording	Careful recording of data	5	5	5	5	5
	Write up the procedure	5	5	5	5	5
	Perform calculations as required	n/a	5	5	5	5
	Tabulate results	n/a	5	5	5	n/a
	Draw diagrams or graphs to represent data collection	n/a	5	5	5	0
Interpretation	Draw reasonable conclusions from your observations and results	4	5	5	5	5
	Conclusions should ensue from hypothesis being tested	4	5	5	5	5
	Coherent final interpretation that explains how results are reached	2	5	2	2	5
Application	Awareness of any other application of what was learned	1	5	2	4	5
	Consider the results in a wider context	2	4	2	3	n/a
	Identify an activity that serves as a model for further investigation	4	4	1	4	n/a
Practical enquiry	Consideration of ambiguous results	3	n/a	n/a	3	5
	Repetition of activity if necessary	5	n/a	n/a	5	5
	Design of a new activity	4	5	5	5	5
Use of the scientific method as outlined in the syllabus documents	Making initial observations	4	5	5	5	5
	Forming a hypothesis	4	5	5	5	5
	Designing a controlled experiment	3	5	5	5	5
	Reporting and publishing results	4	5	5	5	5
	Appreciation of errors	4	2	2	2	5
	Use of controls to reduce errors	5	0	0	0	5
	Collecting data	5	5	5	5	5
	Interpreting data & reaching conclusions	3	5	3	5	5
	Placing conclusions in the context of existing knowledge & development of theory and principal	3	5	4	5	5

0 = This skill is a feature of the syllabus recommendations but not evident in this lesson; 1 = Teacher completes this skill with no input from students; 2 = Teacher mostly completes this skill with a little input from students; 3 = Most students complete this skill with some assistance from the teacher; 4 = Most students complete this skill with a little assistance from the teacher; 5 = Most students complete this skill without assistance from the teacher; * = Phenomenon not produced. Teachers showed a different data set.

Government of Ireland. 2003. Biology Support Materials Laboratory Handbook For Teachers. Dublin: Government Publications.

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Data availability statement

The data sets in each SEOS presented in this paper are derived from the PhD research of the author and can be found at the following link: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/17278/1/NON%20PhD%20Thesis%20Complete.pdf