Integrating maths and science teaching #2
From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/
Twelve months ago I blogged about my frustrations in teaching maths & science and learners (seemingly) inability to transfer skills from one subject to another.
What I’ve been surprised over is the communication (mostly supportive) between fellow (science) teachers. It seems that the tensions between science – maths is real and that I needed to do something about it.
Diagnosing the “problem”
Historic differences over maths to science teaching fall into a few, clearly defined “trenches”:
- We say “average” you say “mean” –> Resolved. We all say “Mean”
- Do bars in a bar chart touch –> Resolved. We all agree “No”
- Lines of “best fit” - we say “can be curved“, you say “always straight” –> Resolved. We agree to disagree, but put the other point of view forward
- Our graphs “always start at zero”, your graphs can have that “wiggly line” –> Resolved. We can have a wiggly line too
- We re-arrange formula by “dragging things over the equals and swapping signs”, you “do the same to both sides and simplify” –> Resolved. We all “do the same to both sides”
- We only used the “mean”, you use “mode and median as well” –> Resolved. We all use the three measures.
If I’m honest, as a science teacher what we’ve done is to start teaching and using maths more like maths teachers, so that our learners have a unified language across subjects.
The big question however, is “Has all this worked?” and are our leaners transferring skills from one to another.
Sadly, a qualified NO
So midway through January I started to look for resources to build a course specifically to address Scientific Numeracy.
So far I’ve collected ideas on:
- Numbers, fractions, powers, roots
- SI units, scientific notiation
- Area, volumes
- Estimation
- Formula, rearranging, simplifying
- Graphs, straight lines, y=mx+c, curves
- Angles, sin, cos, tan, Pythagoras
- Log10, Loge
- Basic statistics, probability, statistical tests
The plan is to teach this as separate curriculum alongside our Year 10 Btec studies.
What this has exposed is that some of the content would be classed as “Higher” tier maths, whilst for us could be used in foundation style lessons. And as we teach Btec, the distinction between foundation and higher is blurred.
Moving forward
The “Big Picture” is to write this as a text, showing science and maths together in a way that allows Scientific Numeracy to be better developed in schools.
So, do how do you teach scientific numeracy?
6 Comments to “Integrating maths and science teaching #2”
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Glen says:
Hi Emma
Thanks for the feedback. I am really interested to know how you have got on. I have our own AR and the interim report is about to be published — the findings are not earth shattering, but at least I now have some “numbers” to substantiate ideas. For us, the central issue is made more complex by the Btec Science, that is “accessible” by students who aren’t going to achieve E+ at GCSE Maths.
This is worse at L3 where the Btec Applied science requires LOG10, LOGe and some use of statistics not covered until AS Maths — all for students who might not have GCSE Maths.
I have just created http://mathsforscience.co.uk/ with the intention of building a resource specially to aid those students struggling with Maths — but from a Science perspective.
I’ve bookmarked your blog.
Cheers
Glen-
Emma Wagg says:
Thanks again. I’m sharing the contents of your blog with my department tomorrow. I’ve also included some of your points from ‘Diagnosing the problem’ in my list of discrepancies between our departments and credited you. Hope that’s ok.
Emma
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Good to share — I smell a PLC??Cheers
G
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mayura dasgupta says:
hi,
i am a trainee teacher and am doing my eps enquiry on transferiing maths skills to science, your blog is useful , maybe i can refer to some of the resources from your blog?-
Hi
Absolutley – everything is posted with a “creative commons” approach. So quote / steal as you see fit.
Cheers
Glen
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This is really interesting. I”ve just done some action research on improving students transfer of maths skills. I’ve introduced ‘help cards’ for AQA P1. Also started to highlight and use the same language, or agree to differ, like you have. You can read my (very much in its infancy) blog here http://whatmrswaggdidnext.blogspot.co.uk/ where there are links to the cards. Will update it this week to include my report.