President’s Message
The Chemistry and Physics HSC examinations will require higher
mathematical abilities than previously, with more calculations and
equations required. Will this impact on a student’s proficiency to
explain the concepts using the written English language? What
Margaret Shepherd
President STANSW
will be the future impact of this change in teaching, learning and
assessing? Only time will tell us conclusively, but our experienced
teachers will work hard to ensure their students have the best
chance possible to show what they know and can do at the
highest level.
In 2017 and 2018, STANSW Conferences included workshops to
help teachers unpack the meaning and intent of these syllabuses.
Well, it is almost time to say goodbye to the last HSC exam that
In 2019, we would like to see science teachers put their hands up
assesses the Stage 6 syllabuses we have taught since 2000. Over
to share lessons and activities that they have designed and tried
this time the exams seemed to get harder, with more complex
out; share successes with each other and grow the dialogue to
and innovative questions that assessed students’ understanding
build higher levels of understanding of some of the new content
of the science concepts drawn from across multiple modules.
that we are to teach. STANSW Council will be again organising
Students have had to write succinct, logical and well-sequenced
Subject Conferences, and have ‘Expressions of Interest’ for
responses with relevant examples, equations, drawings or
presenters out now.
graphs to demonstrate extensive understanding of their subject.
Do please go to the Conference Workshop web page to complete
Top students knew that there was no use ‘brain dumping’ or ‘pre-
an application form.
planning’ their answers because there was usually a twist, and
each question had to be analysed carefully in order to answer it
fully. This is a good thing. Not only does sharing your own experiences improve your
Science students are often the best and brightest. They work and learn from each other. We invite every science teacher to put
confidence, it also creates opportunities for others. Come along
themselves forward, and initiate a dialogue that benefits all our
hard, but over the last 17 years many students still did not gain the
students.
band-6 results in science subjects as they did in other subjects.
Why was it, that the sciences seemed to get fewer band-6s,
Hope to see you at a STANSW event in 2019.
especially in physics and chemistry?
So what will happen in 2019 as a consequence? Next year will
be the first HSC examination of our new syllabuses. Will studying
Margaret Shepherd
STANSW President
a science subject pay off, and allow our top students to achieve
those band-6 results? Will more of our top science students be
enabled to appear in the HSC All-Round Achievers list?
Change is good, and as Robin Sharma quotes, “It is hard at first,
messy in the middle but gorgeous at the end!” However, change
for change’s sake is not good. We want to see our science
students standing tall and proud as they receive the awards they
deserve, and show us that the change this syllabus brings really
may be ‘gorgeous’ at the end.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 3