The Deconstructed Practical
A strategy for identifying and isolating knowledge needed for and developed during a practical activity

During a practical activity students will be developing their substantive, disciplinary and procedural knowledge. When deciding on the purpose of a practical activity teachers need to consider all three of these areas of knowledge and how they develop over time. The Deconstructed Practical is a strategy for identifying and isolating the knowledge needed for, and developed during, a practical activity. This session outlines the strategy and supports delegates in putting the theory into practice.
By the end of this session delegates will have a better understanding of the importance of purpose in practical work and a strategy for developing disciplinary and procedural knowledge over time.
We know that practical work is an important part of teaching science and yet many teachers have gaps in their skills or may not be confident to deliver it effectively. This series of workshops takes several of the practical science workshops from our annual conference and gives teachers a chance to attend them (or maybe to repeat them and ask questions)
The workshops are intended for secondary phase teachers (although primary members are welcome to attend and view through the lens of the new purposeful primary practical science report) The workshops will be held online (using the Zoom platform) and will be recorded, with the recording provided only to those who registered. The workshops are intended for classroom teachers and curriculum leaders for science - we hope that these will provide ideas to improve practical science at a department/curriculum level and at an individual level.
Feedback from our annual conference was overwhelmingly positive and we hope that you will take this unique opportunity to join in these online workshops. Attending the live workshop gives you the opportunity to ask questions and join in the chat - which won't be the case if you watch the recording.