What do our learners need to learn and why?
Curriculum for Wales is a purpose led curriculum with a focus on learning. Curriculum for Wales states that a content focused curriculum does not guarantee meaningful learning, only certain topics are covered to some extent; schools and practitioners must understand the shift from content to meaningful learning. This framework gives schools and practitioners the autonomy to select learning for their learners that should enable them to realise the four purposes of the curriculum.
'All curriculum development should have a clear purpose in mind. A clear understanding of the purpose of learning and why specific knowledge, skills and experiences are important helps focus the planning of progress and learning and teaching.'
The Journey to curriculum roll-out 2021
An example of this within the context of Science and Technology AoLE could be as follows:
Here is a photograph from a news item where a wind farm is being developed in Wales. It could be used as a stimulus for learning in Science and Technology.
Previously, this item may have been used simply to inform learners about this event. Curriculum for Wales, however, asks us to move our focus from 'content' to 'learning'. Considering this, what could really be learned here?
Some examples of learning may include: problem solving, logistics, resources, communication of views, social, national and global responsibilities, fairness, self-awareness, saving the environment, decision making. You may also be able to identify more, however, what should be clear is the shift in focus from the task itself to the essence of learning.
The following questions may help you to define and identify the essence of learning when designing your curriculum:
What is the learning here?
Why is this learning important for our learners?
Does it enable them to progress towards the four purposes?
Response and Reflection
The essence of learning can be found in a number of places, whether it be in the stimuli (demonstrated above - wind turbines) or in the experiences provided. Below are examples of five possible stimuli along with an editable template to create your own for you to consider and discuss. You may wish to use these as a focus for discussion in your school or department when beginning the process of selecting the learning.
Download a PDF version of this document.
How do we go about selecting learning for our curriculum and how do we decide what our learners need to learn?
During the engagement phase of curriculum development you will have engaged with the curriculum materials and had time for sense-making. You and your team may have created together, a statement of vision which captures what you want for your learners in Science and Technology.
We suggested that you:
seek inspiration from the four purposes and their characteristics
gain a deeper understanding of the vision of Science and Technology AoLE and understand what is new in the guidance
explore the needs of your learners and the needs of your communities
consider other local and national priorities
consider societal and environmental developments which will have implications for learning in this Area.
This vision for learning in Science and Technology could be your starting point for selecting the learning.
What do our learners need to learn in Science and Technology?
How can your Science and Technology co-constructed vision help identify what your learners need to learn?
The vision for learning represents the aspirations for your learners and therefore you need to refer to it throughout the design process. Analysis of the vision will identify key aspects of learning that you may choose to permeate through your curriculum for Science and Technology.
Response and Reflection
Consider how your vision can provide a starting point from which you can begin to identify what your learners need to learn.
Looking at this worked example, which expresses the aspirations for all learners in Science and Technology in our model Academi school, we can pick out elements of the vision and formulate questions that provide the basis for developing an element of learning.
What is needed to inspire learners?
How can we develop opportunities for learners to think critically, solve problems, design and collaborate?
Why do they need to understand how the world works?
What do they need to learn to bring value to a more equal and just society?
It’s not difficult to see how such questions could start to help us begin to frame the required learning.
Learning about science and technology together, will inspire our learners to be skilled critical thinkers, problem-solvers, collaborators, designers and innovators. Through an understanding of how our world works, our learners will enjoy discovery and ignite their creativity and imagination bringing value to a more equal and just society.
Statements of what matters in Science and Technology
Being curious and searching for answers is essential to understanding and predicting phenomena.
Design thinking and engineering offer technical and creative ways to meet society’s needs and wants.
The world around us is full of living things which depend on each other for survival.
Matter and the way it behaves defines our universe and shapes our lives.
Forces and energy provide a foundation for understanding our universe.
Computation is the foundation for our digital world.
All practitioners need to be aware of the fact that every statement of what matters includes detail that lies beneath its headline 'title' and it is here that the learning for that statement is expressed. These statements of what matters are statutory in Curriculum for Wales.
In Science and Technology the learning has been expressed in six statements which support and complement one another, and should not be viewed in isolation. They act as a ‘lens’ through which topics and issues can be explored, giving practitioners the flexibility to identify those which are relevant to the needs of their learners, their school or setting and their community. Together they contribute to supporting the learners to realise the four purposes of the curriculum.
Before looking at the statements of what matters for Science and Technology it is important to consider the relationship between the statements of what matters. Within the Area they are to be considered as equitable and non-linear and there are clear interconnections between the statements. This means that statements should not be addressed in isolation. Curriculum for Wales is an holistic curriculum and therefore the learning may encompass many aspects from a number of the statements of what matters. The integrated nature of the learning should also mean that aspects of other statements from other Areas may be addressed and this is where transference and deeper learning will occur. When planning for learning we would encourage you to consider all 27 statements of what matters.
The document to the left provides you with a summary of all 27 statements of what matters on a page.
Download an editable MSWord version of this document to adapt to your own needs.
Download a PDF version of this document.
Specific considerations for this Area
Key contexts and experiences in this Area for developing the skills, knowledge and values of the learners can be considered as:
procedural - knowledge on how to undertake science and technology activity
epistemic - knowing about their value and place in society
content - learning ‘of’ science and technology
These should also be considered when selecting the learning by providing a helpful focus.
For a more detailed look at the key contexts and specific considerations for Science and Technology please refer to the guidance.
🌐 Designing your Curriculum: Specific considerations for this Area
Response and Reflection
What do our learners need to learn in Science and Technology - summary activity
Using your vision, the characteristics of the four purposes, the statements of what matters and specific considerations you will begin to identify learning which is essential to your learners.
This task allows you to consider these and select learning which will be essential to your local curriculum.
You may find it useful to record and collect your thoughts on a sheet such as the one shown here which is an example from a recent school workshop. This is not supplied as an exhaustive list or definitive method but should be adapted to your own needs.
Download an editable MSWord version of this document.
Download a PDF version of this document.
Next steps
As your next steps we suggest the following:
Revisit your AoLE vision
Select learning from your AoLE vision
Select learning from each statement of what matters
Select learning from the key contexts and specific considerations guidance
You will want to discuss the best way to record and represent the learning that you have selected
Finally it will be important that you share your learning with other AoLEs.
You will find that there are commonalities in the learning with other AoLEs. This learning offers opportunities for collaboration and for building connections across the curriculum in order to create a holistic and meaningful learning experience for the learner.
It is important that you invest time together as teams to develop this step of selecting the learning in Science and Technology and consider the knowledge, skills and experiences that will support your learners to progress towards the four purposes of Curriculum for Wales.
Further examples of this stage of the design process can be found at **INSERT ACADEMI LINK**
For additional information and support in the Science and Technology AoLE, please contact:
📧 adrian.smith@partneriaeth.cymru
📧 stuart.jacob@partneriaeth.cymru
