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The aim of the physics program is to motivate students and to facilitate their attainment of scientific literacy as defined by the factors within the Dimensions of Scientific Literacy. All of the science programs developed by Saskatchewan Education share this common aim.
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For Saskatchewan schools, scientific literacy has been defined by seven Dimensions of Scientific Literacy. These Dimensions of Scientific Literacy are the foundation for the renewed curriculum. By actively participating in K-12 Science, a student will be enabled to:
As consumers of goods and information, and as responsible citizens, scientifically literate individuals are able to exercise their freedom by making wise economic and political decisions based on their insights into science.
In many respects, physics is the most fundamental natural science. It involves universal laws and the study of the behaviour and relationships among a wide range of important physical phenomena. In addition to the intrinsic beauty of physics, it also leads to an understanding of many practical applications and ideas in other areas of science.
Physics extends into the realm of technology and applied sciences. Many important technological developments can be appreciated through a solid foundation in physics. Applications in engineering, medicine, and a wide variety of other fields can be grasped by someone who has a good basic understanding of physics.
In an information-based society, with widespread public concerns relating to issues as complex as the protection of the environ- ment, new developments in space exploration, low level electromagnetic radiation from high tension power lines, the prolifer- ation of technologically advanced weapons systems, and various other serious and often controversial issues, a scientifically literate society is needed more urgently than ever before. While solutions to these kinds of issues are indeed difficult to find, physics does provide a way in which these types of problems can be understood and approached. It offers one world view which, when taken in conjunction with other world views, empowers society to make informed, rational decisions based on diverse ways of thinking about problems.
Through the exemplary leadership of a few dedicated scientists, issues of grave concern to society have been brought to the forefront of public attention. Clearly defined, internalized values need to form the foundation for decisions relating to science.
Certain fundamental moral principles, such as respect for the dignity of all persons, respect for the value of all other forms of life, the protection of the environment, the need to promote peace and understanding among all people throughout the world, and other principles of natural justice, need to be emphasized. In a world where advances in physics have led to the development of nuclear weapons, with their potential for the annihilation of humankind, the need for clarity and reason in scientific decision making is quite apparent.
After all is said and done, making rational decisions in a seemingly irrational world is the moral responsibility of an informed, well-educated society. While physics can make no claims to have all of the solutions to such complex human problems, it does provide us with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to begin to approach these problems in a unique way.
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Saskatchewan Education has produced several documents to support the Secondary Level physics curricula.
Science: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level - Physics 20/30 contains the specific information needed to plan and deliver the Physics 20 and Physics 30 courses.
Science: Program Overview and Connections K-12 gives information on the teaching of science which will be of interest to all teachers from kindergarten to grade 12. It contains important sections on the philosophy and rationale behind the teaching of science, and on planning for instruction in science. Sections of this document will also be useful for administrators, teacher- librarians, and others.
Secondary Sciences: Biology 20/30, Chemistry 20/30, Physics 20/30 Ä An Information Bulletin for Administrators will contain information regarding the implementation and ongoing support of the physics curricula.
Science: An Information Bulletin for the Secondary Level Ä Physics 20/30 Key Resources lists the resources which have been recommended for use to help achieve the learning objectives outlined in this Curriculum Guide.
Science: A Bibliography for the Secondary Level Ä Biology, Chemistry, Physics will contain an annotated listing of resources which can be used to enrich the physics program and to assist in implementing resource-based learning in the classroom.
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| Goals of the Physics Curriculum | ||||
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| Attitudes Towards Science | Awareness | Science Technology, Society and the Environment | Inquiry | Equity |
The scientifically literate individual maintains a life-long interest in science. Students should be able to develop positive attitudes towards science which they will continue to nurture throughout their lives. An interesting, relevant physics curriculum can provide students with good reasons for studying the subject, as well as good reasons for maintaining an interest in the subject once they have completed their formal education.
Some students may go on to pursue careers in physics or other related fields after they complete their secondary school physics program. Such an outcome is desirable, but it needs to be kept in proper perspective. The majority of students who complete the Secondary Level Physics program will not pursue the subject much further. While it is true that some students may take post-secondary programs in physics, and some may also develop hobbies or interests related to physics, the majority will not. However, the need to develop scientific literacy among all students remains of primary importance.
It may come as no surprise that many students in secondary science programs have become disinterested and even disillusioned with the study of science. While the underlying reasons for this are often extremely complex, as has been pointed out by the Science Council of Canada in Science Education in Canadian Schools, Volume 1, science is perceived by many students as being boring and irrelevant, and not in keeping with real experiences that students have had in their lives. Physics is often perceived as being too difficult, and too heavily dependent upon a knowledge of mathematics. Science experiences in schools are not in keeping with the true nature of science, or the way in which science is actually practised by people. A lecture approach to instructional delivery has predominated in the past.
The physics curriculum, with its STSE emphasis, attempts to make the study of the subject relevant to the needs of the physics student. Perhaps more than anything else, there is an urgent need to make the study of science an enjoyable, rewarding experience for learners. By helping to promote positive attitudes towards physics, and by exhibiting enthusiasm for the subject, teachers can impart very strong, non-verbal messages to their students.
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| Attitudes Towards Science | Awareness | Science Technology, Society and the Environment | Inquiry | Equity |
. The physics curriculum should develop awareness and understanding, allowing students to apply and evaluate key concepts.
Core material has been identified in the Physics Curriculum Guide. The Key Concepts that could be developed in each unit are specified in detail. Included with these Key Concepts are a set of Learning Outcomes. Students should be provided with opportunities to attain a wide variety of these outcomes. Teachers must ensure that opportunities have been provided for students to do so.
A student who has attained the majority of these outcomes would be deemed to have reached a high level of proficiency in physics. Thus, the learning outcomes also form the basis of student assessment.
A common misunderstanding in interpreting the Key Concepts presented in this guide is that teachers are responsible for ensuring student attainment of all of them. This is not their intent. The Key Concepts identified in the Physics Curriculum Guide are the instructional guidelines within which the Learning Outcomes for each unit are developed. The Foundational Objectives of the curriculum and the development of the factors within the Dimensions of Scientific Literacy provide the central focus. The Key Concepts identified help direct the teacher toward the development of those factors and Foundational Objectives. The Foundational Objectives for Physics and the Common Essential Learnings must be attained, and the Factors of Scientific Literacy must be developed. Any of the Key Concepts identified within the instructional guidelines can be used to do so.
The sequence of presentation of the topics is not static. For good reasons, teachers might determine that certain topics that have been presented in a particular order in the Curriculum Guide might be better taught in a slightly different order. Teacher discretion is needed in the sequencing of concepts, especially since the treatment of specific topics varies considerably in their development from one resource to another.
The sequencing of the Core Units may also be altered to suit a teacher's individual preferences for developing the program.
The Learning Outcomes that accompany the detailed description of Key Concepts are not intended to suggest a one-to-one relationship between the concepts and the outcomes. Some of the outcomes that appear in a particular section may be more generic and applicable to several sections of the course. Also, within a particular section, there may be a one-to-many relationship between concepts and outcomes, or vice versa. Teachers have flexibility in rearranging the outcomes to other topics, if they so choose. It is important to recognize, though, that the outcomes are considered to be essential to the successful completion of the physics program by the learner. The teacher should see that students are provided with opportunities to attain many of these Learning Outcomes.
Parenthetical and italicized remarks included in the Key Concepts provide clarification or further elaboration.
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| Attitudes Towards Science | Awareness | Science Technology, Society and the Environment | Inquiry | Equity |
The STSE thrust of the curriculum (Dimension D) is in keeping with the need to make science relevant to the learner, by treating the subject within a larger context. The interrelationships that can be brought out through such an approach are complex, but meaningful to the student.
Clear distinctions need to be made to allow students to be able to differentiate between science and technology. They are different but related forms of human endeavour. The similarities and differences between science and technology need to be emphasized.
The ways in which science and technology operate within a larger societal context should be stressed whenever possible. Advances in science and technology are often responsible for initiating a public debate, until issues have been clarified. Technological change alters society. In turn, an informed society has the responsibility of determining the direction that scientific research and technological development should follow.
The use of technology in the classroom may help to familiarize students with some of the ways in which science and technology operate together. In particular, computers should be used in the physics classroom whenever possible, to aid in (but not replace) the analysis of laboratory investigations, to perform simulations, to assist in problem solving, and to explore a wide variety of micro worlds that are now made available through the use of innovative educational software.
Environmental considerations have been emphasized in the physics curriculum. Concerns regarding the loss in quality of life and health hazards resulting from widespread environmental damage have finally caught public attention. The role of schools in helping to promote environmental awareness is extremely important.
The STSE emphasis does not reduce the need for a solid foundation of key concepts in physics. Instead, this new emphasis complements those other things that are part of the curriculum, adding an important dimension which may have been missing in the past.
Existing resources differ in the extent to which they incorporate an STSE approach to physics. Teachers should search out potentially useful resources which may augment the physics program.
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| Attitudes Towards Science | Awareness | Science Technology, Society and the Environment | Inquiry | Equity |
The physics curriculum is inquiry and activity based, with a strong emphasis on problem solving.
It is important that a strong laboratory-based physics program be used to add relevance and concrete examples to the study of a wide range of physical phenomena. Skills and important knowledge which can only be imparted through an inquiry-based approach would otherwise be missing from the physics program if these types of activities were omitted. A thorough coverage of all of the seven Dimensions of Scientific Literacy can only be attained if laboratory activities are performed throughout the secondary physics program.
The Teaching Suggestions, Activities and Demonstrations sections in the Curriculum Guide provide some suggestions which lead to inquiry-based learning. All of the activities listed in those sections are not laboratory investigations, in the traditional sense. The term "activity" is used more broadly to encompass a wide variety of different kinds of instructional strategies. Activities could include such things as: laboratory investigations, field trips, demonstrations, simulations, interviews, public opinion polls, large or small group discussions, learning centres, independent research work, role playing games, and so on. However, laboratory investigations must also be used to show students practical applications of formal classroom work. A minimum of 20 hours of the allotted time in the course should be centred on activity-based learning, and the evaluation scheme used should reflect this emphasis.
The suggested activities identified in this Curriculum Guide provide teachers with a variety of activities to be performed. While there is a required time allotment for activities, the teacher still needs to use discretion and professional judgement in the selection of activities. No specific activities are mandatory in the physics program. Various considerations, such as the interests and abilities of students, or the availability of resources and laboratory equipment, necessitate flexibility in the activity-based component of the program. The activities are a means by which the Factors of Scientific Literacy and the Foundational Objectives for Physics and the Common Essential Learnings are attained. Teachers need to select from the suggested activities accordingly.
If the activities are to encompass laboratory investigations, it is recommended that they be discovery and inquiry oriented to reflect the true nature of science. Investigations which are limited to the verification of existing laws, or to the reiteration of concepts which have been developed in other ways are less useful.
Laboratory activities involve the cooperation of different people working together. Communication and a willingness to work with others are essential components of a good laboratory program.
A concern for safety remains a crucial consideration in all science programs. Students need to be made aware of any potential hazards that could arise in a laboratory setting, or in other settings such as field trips which could be potentially hazardous. Whenever students are exposed to new situations with which they have only limited familiarity, or if they are working with materials or equipment that has the potential of being hazardous, proper precautions should be exercised with diligence and extreme care.
Problem solving plays an important role in the study of physics, and it should be one of the components of the course which is given strong emphasis. Students need to develop systematic, organized ways of investigating all types of problems. Part of the emphasis should be on giving consideration to the way in which problems are approached and solved. Rearranging and manipulating formulas, with little or no understanding of why the formulas are used or what they mean, is of questionable value.
Moreover, students need to appreciate that real problems are much more complex than the way in which problems are often presented in physics textbooks. Not all problems can be approached by plugging values into some equation to arrive at a numerical solution. In reality, many problems tend to be holistic in nature, encompassing a broad understanding of various different disciplines. Descriptive solutions to real world problems are also common, though not often portrayed in a realistic manner in textbooks. Many problems are approached collectively, and decisions are reached by consensus among scientists and other concerned individuals.
Finally, it needs to be emphasized that not all problems have solutions. Instead, problems tend primarily to lead people to determine effective
ways of going about investigating them. This is in keeping with an authentic view of science. Students need to realize that physics does not have the answers to all problems. Some problems fall outside of the realm of physics. Others only offer a glimpse at some of the ways in which to go about trying to explore them.
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| Attitudes Towards Science | Awareness | Science Technology, Society and the Environment | Inquiry | Equity |
. The physics curriculum must promote equity in education.
Much has been said and written about the need to promote equity in education. Science has been perceived by some as being dominated by white or East Indian males, and promoting male stereotypes. Young women need to be encouraged to consider careers in science. Research shows quite convincingly that student performance in the sciences is not dependent on gender, although young women tend to have less positive attitudes about science, perhaps due to messages being received by parents, teachers, and the media.
Wherever possible, applications that might be of interest to young women need to be included in the program. Females need to be encouraged and expected to be actively involved. Encouragement should be given to both females and males to consider vocational and avocational interests in science. Counselling is another important way in which schools can help to promote positive attitudes towards science regardless of gender. Some textbook publishers have recognized the need to remove various forms of bias from their books, although classroom resource materials should still be scrutinized carefully by teachers for bias and stereotypes by teachers.
Students of both genders, all races, and of varying abilities should be treated fairly. It is important to remain sensitive to the needs of all people.
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Science K-10 courses are compulsory for all students, and prerequisite for 20 and 30 level physics courses. One of Physics 20 or Mathematics A30 is a prerequisite for Physics 30.