Evaluation of delivery of the switched on secondary science professional learning (SOSSPL) program

The Switched On Secondary Science Professional Learning (SOSSPL) program consisted of three days professional learning. Days 1 and 2 were undertaken consecutively, with Day 3 following a break of several weeks. The break allowed sufficient time for teachers to undertake a small classroom-based project within one of the topics teachers will be teaching at the time. The program was designed to build teacher capacity to improve learning outcomes in secondary science.<div><br />The program supported teachers to plan and implement classroom sequences that focus on student construction and interpretation of different representations of the science concepts and processes that are described by the Victorian Essential Learning Standards: Science and the Science Continuum P-10. <br /><br />The Deakin University team in collaboration with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) produced curriculum resources for the program that encapsulated a representational focus to the teaching and learning of science. The program explored links to core DEECD resources such as the e5 Instructional Model and the Science Continuum P-10.<br /><br />This evaluation of the SOSSPL program involved an online survey, daily workshop evaluations, focus group and phone interviews and presentations data of the participating teachers’ classroom-based projects. The aim of the evaluation was to make a judgement about the effectiveness of the SOSSPL program in terms of building teacher capacity to improve student learning outcomes in secondary science.</div>