Science should be made more relevant - MASE
Achievements in the sciences can be improved by supporting economically disadvantaged students, investing in teachers’ working conditions and making changes in the curriculum to make the subject more relevant.
These were among the suggestions made by the Maltese Association of Science Educators to improve students’ performance in sciences.
The association, made up of volunteers, produced the recommendations after analysing the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 released at the end of last year.
The TIMSS study – which looks into the performance of Grade 4 and 8 students in mathematics and science in 59 countries – highlighted a need to review science education as Maltese Form 3 students ranked 30th out of 49 countries in sciences.
The association found that student that performed the best in sciences spoke English at home, their parents had a higher level of education, they has access to computers and books, they attended school regularly and their teachers showed higher levels of job satisfaction.
It also found that students attending schools with few economically disadvantaged students performed better. A look at Maltese students’ performance showed that five per cent had advanced scientific skills, 16 had high skills, 27 per cent intermediate, 23 low while 29 per cent did not reach the low benchmark.
While Maltese student value the importance of science, many struggled to find the subject enjoyable.
Given these findings, recommendations included: giving particular attention to low achievers, supporting economically disadvantaged students, better monitoring of absenteeism, revising current reaching practices to make the sciences more hands-on and relevant, teaching science in primary schools as a basic subject, focusing on improving the level of English by reaching it at an early age, improving teacher’s working conditions and ensuring their salaries attract them to the job, and providing teachers with professional development opportunities.
The MASE report can be viewed on www.masemalta.com .
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Steven Brockwell
Apr 24th 2009, 19:17
the problem here is if want to take on science you need other subject with it???where in England if you took chemistry you are sole based on that to improve your expertise and only concentrate in that subject. my nephew was refused in Malta university but accepted in Leicester university in two years he came across two important discovery's and was merited for them. he has now moved on to his phd financed by a major company . however the university got all the credits. how can you expect anyone to advance when you demand so much from them change the system
L. F.
Apr 24th 2009, 18:43
I agree with D Farrugia. My parents are from working class, I speak Maltese at home and I'm currently studying medicine which required me to get good marks in sciences at A level. However I notice that english-speaking student colleagues of mine (who attended english-speaking schools) were better-trained in their thinking skills and were given more go-ahead in being creative in their own ideas (probably their schools were advantaged in this). So over all I think that we Maltese need to be encouraged so as not to be afraid to THINK and ANALYSE what we study - something we lack a lot in our schools.
D.Farrugia
Apr 24th 2009, 14:56
I don't know who did this survey,and I don't think the junior lyceums were taken into consideration.My daughter used to go to Carlo Diacono Zejtun junior lyceum and last year she got 1 in all science subjects i.e. maths,physics,chemistry and biology.We come from a working class background and the language we speak at home is maltese, so I can't see the connection in this report.What the children need is a good head like Ms.M.Ciappara and dedicated teachers and a good equipped school.As for the english language, the children should be motivated to read good books and when still very young.Everyone could make use of public libraries in every village around Malta and it serves the children as an outing and they could choose the books themselves,and why not give a book together with the usual present at christmas or birthday.If the child doesn't know how to read,maybe his/her siblings or parents or the teacher at school could read it for him/her.I fully agree to the reccomendations in the report.
M. Grima
Apr 24th 2009, 13:51
When large chunks of scientific theory are thrown at students the majority find it boring. It becomes enjoyable when it is applied to the various scientific sectors. We have been hearing this old story for years and nothing has been done about it!