ABSTRACT
School science is now firmly embedded in the laboratory. The TIMMS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study, 1997) report compared the curricula of 13-year-old pupils in a range of countries—practical laboratory activities in science were more frequent in England than in any other country. This may be a cause for celebration—but is the practical, hands-on approach to science working? The aim of this book is to begin to look behind the TIMMS data and to ask what is going on in practical laboratory activities, and why. The purpose of this chapter is to set the scene and introduce, as briefly as possible, the main issues which will be explored later in the book.
