Not sure when this was published but I think it was in the last week or so. Its one more step forward in what is sure to be a long process.
The full NCCA Report on the recent consultative process is now available here. For those looking to jump to the summary, here is a summarised version of the summary...
''The most notable finding of the consultation is how views around the purpose of science education coalesced across all the consultation platforms.
The purpose of science education was seen as developing scientifically literate students, who can better understand how the natural world works, and preparing students for careers in both STEM and non-STEM areas. Many participants expressed a desire for students to be curious, life-long critical thinkers about scientific matters, equipped to pursue interests of relevance to their lives. This will inform the development groups as they draft the rationale, aim, and objectives for LC Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
The consultation findings reveal that participants placed as much value on an interconnected narrative of core concepts as on understanding those core concepts in isolation. There is an imperative upon any revised curricula, where possible, to create a narrative of learner progression that facilitates these connections.
The consultation process revealed many considered concerns, such as the potential for curriculum overload, a lack of specificity in Junior Cycle Science resulting in conflicting interpretations of the curriculum and a feared demotion of propositional knowledge. Nonetheless, there are many beliefs and practices shared across the spectrum of participants which will support the enactment of the revised curriculum specifications. The overarching views on purpose, core concepts, progression of conceptual understanding, the need for an additional assessment component, a common strand in the form of Nature of Science across all three subjects, and the desire for a clear connected narrative would all be commensurate with the research and ideas in the background paper and will inform the work of the subject development groups. ''
The next step? 'The consultation findings will inform the deliberations of the development groups as they prepare draft specifications, which will be available for consultation in Q2, 2020.'
Still on target for draft syllabi by September, it seems....
Comments