The BOS Stage 6 Document is of significant value to teachers as they need to undertake and develop the units of work to be taught. It acts as a “somewhat” guide in teaching the syllabus while being unspecific to the Biology Course. The Support Document rather is just that, a support document, to all Stage 6 courses. It helps build and plan out units of work in relation to the continuum of learning, assessment and open-ended investigations and linking the outcomes and skills. The Support Document provides a backbone to the syllabus in preparation for delivery of the content.
The Support Document focuses on the syllabus outcomes, evidence of learning and how the evidence of learning is gathered and determined. These components help in the development of the Scope and Sequence and Skills Mapping. Ensuring that the module/course duration is appropriate, assessments are scheduled and outcomes appropriately covered. In the development of the scope and sequence in relation to 8.4 Life on Earth, 30 hours over 7 weeks and covering outcomes P 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15. An assessment task, possibly a research task, would also be conducted.
The Stage 6 courses do not have specific Support Documents for each. The school and its teachers are able to develop and identify specific aspects of the programs that suit their school and their students. Meeting the needs and culture of the school in developing the program allows flexibility and individualisation. The teachers development of assessments in relation to their program to identify evidence of learning and the gathering of this is advised through the document. Students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and learning experiences developed to allow for this evidence to be observed. Teachers should also be able to evaluate how well the learning experiences worked and if they achieved the outcomes/aim. The document only provides advice and guidance to a teacher and the development of a program comes down to the individual school and the needs of its students.
NSW Board of Studies (2007). Science Stage 6 Revised Support Document. Sydney, Australia: NSW Board of Studies.
I agree with you views Mel regarding the limitations of the BOS Support Document. Although it is a ‘general’ guide for all the science subjects including biology, senior science, earth and environmental science, physics and chemistry, the BOS Support Document is valuable in relation to programming units of work. This consists of Scope and Sequence, Skills Mapping, Assessments and for Open-ended investigations. To be specific to my core topic 9.3 Blueprint for life, it provides general examples on how to integrate PFAs, Domain Knowledge and Domain Skills and attitudes into teaching and learning. However I would have liked to get some suggestions to teaching how to incorporate or teach values/ethics to students and develop their own opinions in addressing transgenic species. What did you find to be limitations specific towards your topic area? Did you feel the same way about the values component?
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked about the support document is the flexibilty that it gives to teachers and schools in designing their unit of work. As said each school has its own cultural background and specifiications. Teachers can be creative and gives them opportunities to develop activities according to their student interest. I totally agree to the point that,the support document doesnot give any example as to how to incorporate the values in the unit of work, eventhough it gives emphasis on values and attitudes outcome.
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