2. INTRODUCTION
The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1943 by William
Morris, Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors. Lord Nuffield wanted to
contribute to improvements in society, including the expansion of education and
the alleviation of disadvantage. He called this the ‘advancement of social well-being’,
and emphasised the importance of education, training and research in
achieving that goal. Today, they work to improve social well-being by funding
research and innovation in education and social policy.
Today, they work to improve social well-being by funding research and
innovation in education and social policy. They also work to increase research
capacity, both in science and social science.
They also work to increase research capacity, both in science and social
science. The following are the Nuffield Science teaching projects.
1. Nuffield O–level Physics Chemistry and Biology-For average and above
average (age 11-16)
2. Nuffield Secondary Science - For below average (age 13-16)
3. Nuffield Junior Science - For all (age 7-11)
4. Nuffield Junior Science - Fro all ( age 7-11)
5. Nuffield A level Physics, Chemistry & Biology -( Pre- University course
(age 16-18)
Objectives of Nuffield Science Projects
1. To make science intelligible and accessible to pupils of all kinds in
schools of all kinds
2. To make science a more useful tool, both intellectually and practically
3. To develop material that will help teachers to present science in alively
and exciting manner
3. 4. To develop and encourage and attitude of curiosity and inquiry
5. To develop a programme which is relevant to the world outside the
classroom
6. To develop a critical approach to the subject with an emphasis on
experimentation and enquiry rather than on the mere assimilation of facts.
7. The aim is not only to produce a new syllabus, but a new approach to
teaching
Study Materials
The Nuffield Programme provides:
Reading materials in the form of books: The texts are intended to provide
a clear indication of the overall structure of the course, how subject
matter can be approached in an investigatory manner, how laboratory
experiments can be related to the books and films. However no separate
laboratory manuals have been provided.
Teacher’s Guide – As the stress is on discovery learning, the teacher is
given a lot of flexibility in carrying out the experiments given in the text.
Films a) dealing with processes b) illustrating experiments c) showing the
sequence of a techniques
Tests made of objective based items
CURRICULUM PROJECTS
Since 1962, the Foundation has supported some 60 major curriculum
projects and countless smaller ones. The largest and best known projects
have been in science and mathematics, but the story goes much wider,
covering languages (ancient and modern), design and technology,
economics and business, English, history and more besides. Professional
development for teachers New styles of hands-on professional
4. development for teachers were supported by the Inspectorate and local
education authority advisers.
1. Nuffield Physics Project: Donald Mc Gill of the Scotish Education
Department was the organizer of physics project. Students are made to
see physics as a consistent and logical whole, as a fabric of knowledge in
which something learnt in one place proves useful somewhere else, and a
later discovery throws light back on earlier work. Students think things
out for themselves when learning Physics. Much gain in Understanding
does not come from the formal learning of definitions or the working of
examples by substituting numerical values in formulate. It is more
importing to know the meaning/ application of formulate and where it
comes from ( derivation) than to learn it by hear.
2. Nuffield Chemistry Project: It was established in England in 1961. The
project organizer was H.F. Halliwell. This Project was intended for
children of average and above average ability in the 11-16 year age
group. For them the course must be pertinent, satisfying and enlightening
part of their school experiences and must be a completed part. There are
also those whose interest will take them into engineering, industry or
further academic studies. For this important minority, the course must
also act as an adequate basis and stimulation for further work whatever its
nature may be as an adequate basis and stimulation for further work
whatever its nature may be .
3. Nuffield Biology Project: The essence of the Nuffield course in Biology
is ‘Science for all’. The course has been built around a number of
fundamental themes. Such issues as the relationship of structure and
function, adaptation, interaction of organisms and environment recur
again and again in different contests throughout the five year period.
5. The Course is designed to foster a critical approach to the subject with an
emphasis on experimentation and enquiry. The course falls into two parts:
The first two years are introductory; the remaining three constitute the
intermediate phases. The first phase has a board general approach; the
next phase becomes more quantitative with greater emphasis on
experimentation and reasoning. More emphasis is given to approach
rather than content. This necessitates the use of new teaching techniques
and new kinds of instructional and illustrative materials. Sufficient
attention has been paid to examination also.
Assessment in the spirit of course
New approaches to assessment in the spirit of the new course were
developed in partnership with the examining boards.
Out comes
The course was taken up by about 20% of British secondary schools. The
books were widely translated so that the approach could be adopted overseas,
with editions in Italian,Spanish, Dutch, and Japanese.
Resources.
Resources included teachers’ guides and students’ books – the biologists
had student books from the beginning. The resources were revised in the 1970s.
REFERENCE
Science Education- Dr. K. Sivarajan
Prof.A. Faziludin
www.scienceeducation.com
