Able Pupils Experiencing Challenging Science
APECS is Able Pupils Experiencing Challenging Science – a project set up in response to concerns about provision for 'gifted' students in science classes.
The project has evolved through a number of different phases and activities:
Meeting the Needs of the Most Able in Science
The APECS Project was set up as a collaborative research project between the Universities of Cambridge, Reading and Roehampton. The project was intended to explore the issue of providing suitably challenging experiences for the most able pupils in science lessons. The project was supported by the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education through its research seminar series: 'Meeting the Needs of the Most Able in Science' which ran over three academic sessions.
The seminar series provided the basis for the book Science Education for Gifted Learners.
Teaching About Ideas and Evidence
As part of a government sponsored project through the initial teacher education strand of the National Strategies, Cambridge PGCE students (science teachers in training) looked at how aspects of the nature of science ('how science works') can be a focus for challenging and engaging science education for the most able. We contributed to a KS3 National Strategy project on Teaching About Ideas and Evidence in Science at KS3. Materials from this project were reported on the Strategy website, and distributed by SEP. This work has also been reported in School Science Review and Physics Education.
The curriculum model for the nature of science developed to guide the trainee teachers in their classroom work for this project has been discussed in a paper in the journal Science & Education.
Able Students Collectively Exploring New Demands
ASCEND (Able Students Collectively Exploring New Demands) – was an SEP-funded project during 2004-5 . The University of Cambridge Faculty of Education worked with the Cambridge Federation of Secondary Schools to develop enrichment provision to challenge high attaining science students at KS4.
This led to the publication: 'Enriching School Science for the Gifted Learner'
Challenging Science Days
During the Summer terms of 2008 and 2009 the Faculty of Education hosted 'Challenging Science Days' for pupils from local secondary schools. These days have drawn upon resources from the 'Enriching School Science for the Gifted Learner' publication, and have been staffed by trainee teachers completing their PGCE year.
International Collaboration on Science Education and the Gifted
An international collaboration with Prof. Manabu Sumida (Ehime University, Japan) to develop edited volumes for Routledge's Research in Achievement and Gifted Education Series. This led to three volumes:
International Perspectives on Science Education for the Gifted
