Assessing the fundamentals!

Abstract

Over half a million students take courses in science, mathematics and computing provided by colleges in the UK's Further Education sector, science being the third largest programme to be supported by the Further Education Funding Council. As well as subjects such as biology, physics and chemistry, there are the specialist topics of ophthalmics, environmental health and veterinary science, and the range of qualifications available is diverse - vocational as well as general educational qualifications. A recent report from the Council's Inspectorate surveyed the whole curriculum area and outlined the quality and standards being achieved. The quality of teaching and learning in this curriculum area has been found to be mainly good and broadly in line with other areas, but practical sessions are generally more successful than theory lessons. Some teaching unfortunately barely addresses the needs of the students. A substantial proportion of science, mathematics and computing students have weak numerical and algebraic skills, and on the whole pass rates tend to be higher in sixth-form colleges. Less than 50% of GNVQ students achieve their full award within the planned timescale; low retention of students is a major issue in many colleges. Colleges have invested heavily in high quality computing equipment and there are many examples of carefully designed, purpose-built science laboratories. Nevertheless science and maths students often have insufficient access to computing equipment and specialist software, and in many colleges science equipment is serviceable but old. In addition the quality of library stock varies and is poor in some cases. There are many examples of well-planned courses and lessons and of lively, innovative teaching to which students respond enthusiastically and productively - in fact the report describes a `murder mystery' event in which college science students assisted `detectives' from a local school to solve a `murder' by applying scientific tests to a set of clues left by the `murderer'. Equally imaginative and successful ways of relating maths and computing skills to real situations are highlighted in the report. In spite of the growing number of modular GCE A-level courses, the decline in the popularity of science subjects and the slow take-up of GNVQ science programmes sadly continues. It has also been notable that too many students continue to take a GCSE mathematics course rather than an alternative course in mathematics or numeracy which would suit them better. Sciences, the Curriculum Area Survey Report (March 1998) is available from the Further Education Funding Council, Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry CV1 2WT (tel: 01203 863000, fax: 01203 863100).