Svava Pétursdóttir, Allyson Macdonald and Gunnhildur Óskarsdóttir Does the national curriculum influence teaching? The 11th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) 31.8.-4.9.2015 Helsinki http://www.esera2015.org/ http://www.esera2015.org/media/ESERA_CONFERENCE_BOOK_web_Revisions.pdf

1. Does the national curriculum influence teaching?
The 11th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA)
31.8.-4.9.2015 Helsinki
Svava Pétursdóttir, postdoc and project manager
Allyson Macdonald, professor
Gunnhildur Óskarsdóttir, senior lecturer

2. 329.100 people
167 schools
30th August 2015

3. Status
2007
2014
Does the curriculum influence teaching?

4. Quick historical view
• Materials
– By 1999 implementation of the science curriculum in
Icelandic schools was inextricably tied up with the
availability, quality and diversity of materials.
• Environmental education
– Teachers connected environmental education with aims of
the science curriculum and this has remained strong ever
since.
– The absence of environmental education in the curriculum
was a counter-case where teachers did not follow the
curriculum because of their own interests and experiences.

5. Context for teaching science in Iceland
• Small schools, 157/167 fewer than 600 pupils
• Often only once science teacher
• Science teachers
• About half are trained as science teachers
• Generally weak PCK
• Standardized testing
• From 2002 - 2008
• Long tradition of using textbooks
• Only one publisher of science textbooks
• Textbooks and 1999 curriculum were well-aligned
• New materials for middle school after 1999
• Digital materials now provide teachers with more
choice, even if material is in English

6. Factors influencing classroom practice
Local authorities
TeachersResources
Subject culture
Curriculum materials
National curriculum
Principals
Learners

7. New
curriculum
2011/2013
Survey
results from
2006/2007
(two sets)
Survey results
from 2014
Time-line of new curricula in Iceland and survey data
New
curriculum
2007
New
curriculum
1999
Research question
Does the national curriculum influence teaching?

9. Impact of curricula on teaching
• An overloaded curriculum = practices focused on lower order thinking
skills, less effective teaching methods and less practical work (Hacker and
Rowe, 1997)
• Paradigm war? Merging professional knowledge with a highly prescriptive
curriculum (Wood, 2004)
• Teachers interpret curricula to make a better fit, in conservative,
innovative or eclectic ways (Curtner-Smith, 1999)
• A curriculum obligation to present a wider view of scientists did not
change the ideas primary school children held of the scientist as a white
middle aged male in a white robe (Newton and Newton, 1998)

10. Key elements
• Organisation
– Integration of topics
– Learning environments
• Teaching
• Resources
• Teacher factors
– Interest
– Knowledge
– Confidence
• Attitudes towards new curriculum

11. Organisation - Subjects or integration?

13. 20% teach on more than
one level
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Primary Middle Secondary Primary and
middle
Middle and
secondary
Primary and
secondary
All levels
2007
2014
Levels taught

14. 1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
Students all do the
same task at the same
time
Students to different
tasks at the same time
Small groups work on
science tasks while
other work on other
subjects
Small groups work on
different science tasks
at the same time
Primary
Middle school
Lower secondary
Organisation of lessons

15. Integration

16. What happens in classes? - 21st Century?

17. Learning materials
0
1
2
3
4
5
Textbooks Videos
(online or
DVD)
Online
educational
resources
Puplic
learning
resources
Resources
for
practical
work
Teaching
guides
Handbooks Educational
software
(including
apps in
smart
devices)
Very often
Very seldom

18. Teaching practices - percentage of often and very often
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2007
2014

19. Resources - Enabling or hindering?

20. Physical resources
29% say there
is no science
room
24% say there
is no outdoor
classroom/area
1
2
3
4
5
Often
Seldom

21. 81 open categorised responses to the question What do you think could be improved in
your school for science teaching to be adequate for modern standards?

22. A new curriculum - how do we feel?

23. 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Very dissatisfied Quite dissatisfied Fairly satisfied Quite satisfied Very satisfied
Satisfaction with the new curriculum

24. Mention tangible influence of the curriculum on their practice 20 31%
General answers indicating influence on practice 8 12%
Not yet 19 29%
Little influence 9 14%
No influence 7 11%
Negative views of the curriculum 2 3%
Number of replies 65
What influence, if any, does the new national curriculum have on what and how you teach? - Open
question
Influence on teaching?

25. A new curriculum...
Limited formal support
Minimal external
inspection

26. Status
2007
2014
Does the national curriculum influence teaching?
• Indirectly
• Through books and
materials
• Less reliance on textbook
• In touch with the times
• More choice – use of
digital materials
• Starting to see some
sustainability
Will it?

27. What lies ahead?
• Assessment
• Support for the curriculum
• Teacher training and availability of INSET
• Use of technology
• Sustainability-global issues
• Youth culture

28. Thank you – questions?
- any answers?
svavap@hi.is allyson@hi.is
@svavap

29. References
Curtner‐Smith, M.D. (1999) The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same: Factors Influencing Teachers' Interpretations and Delivery
of National Curriculum Physical Education, Sport, Education and Society. 4(1)
GERT (2013) Report by: The Federation of Icelandic Industries, Ministry of Education Science and Culture and the Association of Local
Municipalities [In Icelandic] http://www.si.is/upplysingar-og-utgafa/skyrslur-og-rit/nr/9564
Bjarnadóttir, B.H., Símonardóttir, H. & Garðarsdóttir, R.B. (2007) The status of science teaching in Icelandic schools, final report. Reykjavík:
Authors.
Hacker, R. G. Rowe, M. J. (1997) The impact of a National Curriculum development on teaching and learning behaviours. International Journal
of Science Education, 19(9).
Lewthwaite, B.E. (2005). "It's more than knowing the science". A case study in elementary science curriculum review. Canadian Journal of
Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(2).
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/%7Elewthwai/ApplicationofSCIQinCanadianContext.pdf.
Macdonald, A., Pálsdóttir, A. & Thórólfsson, M. (2007). Changing constraints on science teaching activity in Icelandic schools ESERA (European
Science Education Research Association)
Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. (2011/13). Aðalnámskrá grunnskóla.i [In Icelandic, National curriculum guide for compulsory
school-with subject areas]. http://eng.menntamalaraduneyti.is/publications/curriculum/ .
Newton, L.D. & Newton, D.P. (1998) Primary children's conceptions of science and the scientist: is the impact of a National Curriculum
breaking down the stereotype? International Journal of Science Education, 20(9)
Thorolfsson, M., Finnbogason, G. E., & Macdonald, A. (2012). A perspective on the intended science curriculum in Iceland and its
‘transformation’ over a period of 50 years. International Journal of Science Education, 34(17), 2641–2665.
Wood, E. (2004) A new paradigm war? The impact of national curriculum policies on early childhood teachers’ thinking and classroom practice
Teaching and Teacher Education 20(4), pp. 361–374