Better Science 2: Choosing Content

Choosing Content was the second in a series of 12 booklets published by Heinemann and the Association for Science Education to explore the issues arising from moving towards a broad and balanced science education for all young people. The main purposes of this booklet were:

• to consider what content is
• to explore how the content of school science might be chosen
• to argue for a reduction in traditional curriculum content
• to suggest major topics for science
• to illustrate aspects of science content through examples
• to consider some of the implications of what we say.

Contents
Introduction
SECTION ONE Setting the scene
*What is content?
*Whose content is it?
*Why reduce content?
*Electricity: an example
*Other messages
SECTION TWO Time for competence
*Time allocation
*Competence: a concern for outcomes
*Relevance and usefulness
*Being competent
*Progression and levels of attainment
*Criteria for selecting content
*Our criteria
*Aims versus criteria
SECTION THREE The content list
*Areas of study
*Processes, skills and attitudes
*Why these items?
*Other lists of content
*Why these processes, skills and attitudes?
SECTION FOUR Examples
*Electricity
*Relationships
SECTION FIVE Implications: final comments
*Resources
*Further study
APPENDIX Part of the work of the work of Humberside group:
*A Coordinated Science Programme
Further reading
References