Seminar Meetings
Cambridge (Faculty of Education) Seminar Series
Easter Term 2003-4 Seminar: Saturday 22nd May, 2004
Insights from science education in New Zealand: can a student-centred constructivist approach work for the gifted and able?
Dr. Richard Coll
Centre for Science & Technology Education Research
The University of Waikato
New Zealand
E-mail: RCOLL@waikato.ac.nz
Dr. Richard Coll will discuss the NZ science curriculum, where curriculum policy has been strongly influenced by proponents of the constructivism-in-science-education movement (and especially the science education faculty at Waikato). In principle, a constructivist approach to teaching science is student-centred, starting from where the learner is, and so should ensure all students experience challenge and progression. Dr. Coll will give his impressions of how well the policy works in practice, and reflect upon whether such a teaching approach is able to meet the needs of the most able in science.
