Strengthening Teaching and Learning of Interdependence, Secondary National Strategy

This study guide is one of a suite, from the Department for Education, designed to support the development of aspects of subject knowledge. It was been designed to link with the Progression Maps, the Revised Framework for teaching Secondary Science and Assessing Pupils’ Progress in Science.

Context
All teachers recognise that some parts of science can be difficult to teach and this can be even more problematic if it is outside your area of expertise. The study guide offers background information and practical suggestions to support classroom practice when teaching about interdependence. All the strategies suggested have been tried and tested by teachers and draw upon academic research. Similarly, many of the activities could be used with students who need to develop similar knowledge.

Development
Study guides were developed as part of a series of publications which could be used flexibly. In particular, they could be used in a school by an individual teacher, a pair of teachers or a larger group without specialist support. If used collaboratively, a peer coaching model would be effective to support teachers. This study guide contains materials which address different aspects of teaching interdependence. As a consequence, there is no simple, sequential route through the materials; it is more a collection of ideas and resources to tackle separate issues within the teaching of interdependence.

Components
The study guides were originally produced as eight separate files. The separate files have been joined together for ease of download. The eight documents were entitled, ‘Strengthening teaching and learning of interdependence’:
• Introductory section
• Alternative frameworks or misconceptions
• Classification and adaptation
• Energy flow in food chains and food webs
• Human impact on the interdependence of organisms
• Using contemporary issues in science
• Investigating local ecological relationships
• Bringing it altogether