Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

Table 4: An interview with a Primary School science coordinator

Sample interview questions for the Principal
and/or science coordinator/teacher re:
science provision in the setting.
Is there a science coordinator and/or
1 how many specified science teachers are
there in the school?
What are the duties/responsibilities of the
science teacher/coordinator?
Does she teach any, all students or just specific
year groups?
Responses from the Principal and/or
science coordinator/teacher re:
science provision in the setting.
Head of Department, Chemistry,
Biology, Physics teachers. Doing all
paper work and doing duties during
breaks.
All grades, (grades two and three)
Teaching, marking and doing lesson
planning.

Obtain a teaching schedule and any schemes of

work, lesson plans, software used etc. from the
science coordinator/teacher.

2 Who is responsible for science policy and Head of Department and

provision within the setting? teachers.
(Can we obtain a copy of the policy?)

(See in the bottom the copy of the science

policy)
3 Online/Blended Learning:

Does the setting have its own website? If so,

General link of Sama School
what is the URL, who created it and who is
http://www.samaschool.ae/ , online
responsible for managing and updating it?
resources https://www-
k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
Is there any online/blended learning taking
and Harcourt
place related to science? If so, how is this
https://www.hmhco.com/classroom
delivered?
Online Fusion Harcourt resources
What ICT resources are used specifically for
teaching science?
4 What science
equipment/manipulatives/resources can
be found the setting? (Is there a list? Differentiate
between the classroom; the science lab and other areas in the Yes, Science Lab and e-stations in
setting e.g. library)
classroom.
Is there a budget for materials? IT Department and specified
teachers outsiders.
Who trains teachers and staff in the use the IT Department and book store in
equipment? school.

Who manages the equipment and materials?

5 Is/Are there dedicated science labs in Yes, it used by all grades from 1 to
this setting? 12, Boys and Girls sections labs.
If yes, how is it used and by whom? How is it -----------------------
organised? What equipment can be found Should be science club.
here?
TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b
Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /
 Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

If no, why not? e.g. lack of funds? No need?

Enough science equipment and expertise in
each classroom?

Does the setting feel it has enough specialist

science teachers, technicians and dedicated
science rooms?
6 Which science resources does the setting
feel it needs or would like to have to
achieve its vision or better science
teaching and learning? Models, soft materials (colors,
paper, glue..etc.)
e.g. Science Kits, books, wifi,
manipulatives/models, digital
cameras/camcorders, lab equipment OR soft
materials (consumables- colored paper, glue,
popsicle sticks etc.).
7 What are the safety rules? There are safety rules in Lab.
(See in the
Are the safety rules posted in the science bottom
setting? safety rules)

Who developed these and are they

mandatory/enforced?

8 What safety equipment is available and Clean classrooms and labs, Fire
when is it used commonly? drills, E-station, password for the
teachers accounts.
Is safety equipment available for all students in Supervisor and teachers.
the classrooms?

Is equipment cleaned, if so by whom? Who

manages this duty?
9 Planning for learning- how are the
science lessons planned for in the
setting?
Does the MOE/Zone/KHDA provide unit
plans/lesson plans? (can we obtain a copy of
this?)
Are there weekly planning meetings? What is
usually done in the planning meetings?
Who attends the planning meetings?
Teachers are responsible for doing
lesson plan.
Head of Department checks and adds
extra information if necessary.
(See in the bottom a copy of lesson plan)
Yes, all important things are in
the agenda of weekly meeting
with H.O.D and principal.
Follow the CCGS standards.

Does the school have specific goals related to

science (TIMMS scores etc.)?
1 How is learning assessed in the science There is assessment plan for the
0 classroom? semester: Distribution of marks.
Yes, full names, contact numbers
Is there an assessment plan for the semester? of parents.
What does it include? Used for behavioral, academicals,
TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b
Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /
 Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

social data.
Do teachers collect student data? What data,
when, and what is it used for? Writing notes in dairy, calling
parents, and written way through
How do students get feedback so that they can paradigm system.
make improvements?
1 What science professional development /
1 training do teachers currently receive or
have recently had?
How frequently and from whom did they /are Three or four times in a year.
they receiving this? Local trainings, training in Dubai
Conferences and other
Do they have a document that outlines this PD? presentations.

What PD do they think teachers in the setting

still need?

Appendix

Safety Rules in
Science Lab.

Teaching schedule and

schemes of work

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /
Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

Example of Science Lesson plan

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /
 Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

A copy of the science policy

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /