General issues

QCA voting buttons
Author: Peter Campbell

www.qca.org.uk

QCA has a responsibility is to keep the curriculum under review and, for many years, has produced annual reports on what was happening in schools. It is now considering a move to a more interactive approach, one that produces instant data tables from online questionnaires which anyone can access.

To my mind, this is not a good idea. See some draft pages here QCA Science questionnaire, then tell QCA what you think.

It is useful to have easy access to data tables. But how can these be reliable when based on questionnaires with no discussion points?

Informed thinking arises by considering different points of view. In education, there are often trade-offs, and there are changing priorities in response to particular local and national challenges. There are changes to what may be possible, and some people see opportunities earlier or more clearly than others.

Teachers have a difficult time keeping abreast of broad discussions related to science education, because their focus is on their considerable day-to-day responsibilities.

Instant responses, combined with an all-too-common hunger for easy answers, can produce a bandwagon effect. Data collected by QCA questionnaires might show nothing more than teachers jumping on bandwagons, some of which can lead straight into a potentially damaging wall.

Publications and meetings will continue to play a vital role, encouraging and spreading informed thinking among educators, stimulating reflective practice. Electronic media of course have a role too. But if QCA is to perform its duties properly, it needs to consult deeply and carefully. There are no shortcuts.

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