Teacher’s notes
Developing scientific skills and attitudes
DSSA Achievement Aim
“In their study of science students will use their developing scientific knowledge, skills, and attitudes to; further develop their investigative skills and attitudes.”
– Science in the New Zealand Curriculum, p. 42
How students learn in science
The integrating strand: Developing scientific skills and attitudes (DSSA), is about the investigations students can carry out to explore science concepts.
DSSA investigation focuses
The development of students’ scientific skills and attitudes is enhanced by encouraging students to reflect on what they already know, what they will be doing, and the outcomes of their investigations. To support this approach to teaching and learning, DSSA investigation focuses have been created to help teachers when planning, and to guide, science activities.
Select a DSSA investigation focus from the lists below for supporting concepts, teacher’s notes, questions to help build your understanding of classroom science, and example science activities.
The nature of student investigations
- Students typically investigate existing science knowledge
- Students’ investigations are a limited modelling of the processes of scientific investigation
Attitudes that support investigation
- Collaboration enables students to build a richer understanding
- Students’ relationships with other people affect their investigations
- Students bring their personal values to any science investigation
- Science learning can be improved by encouraging appropriate attitudes
Carrying out an investigation
- Any student investigation may involve a variety of skills
- Carrying out an investigation includes choosing an appropriate approach
- Students need to be taught relevant procedural concepts to undertake an investigation
- Framing an investigation helps to focus students’ observations and interpretations
Interpreting observations
- Students’ investigations may have unexpected results
- Students’ investigations may only generate partial explanations
- Students’ investigations have the potential to be reconsidered, debated and developed further
Frequently asked questions
- Has the developing scientific skills and attitudes (DSSA) strand changed?
- The DSSA strand has not changed.
- What are the DSSA investigation focuses?
- The focuses are ideas about classroom science that teachers can use when planning, and to guide, science activities.
- Why have the DSSA investigation focuses been created?
- The development of students’ scientific skills and attitudes may be enhanced when teachers have opportunities to reflect on the nature of classroom science. The investigation focuses have been created to enrich teachers’ understandings of classroom science.
- How do I choose an DSSA investigation focus?
- Consider how students will be investigating a science concept. Review the list of focuses, and select one that relates to the investigation. More than one focus may be relevant to any activity.
- How do I use an DSSA investigation focus?
- Use the focus page to enrich your understanding; review professional
development notes, supporting concepts, and link to example activities
that use this focus. The focuses may also be used as the basis of discussion
with other teachers.
See also: Using the themes and focuses - How do the DSSA investigation focuses relate to the DSSA achievement objectives?
- There is no direct relationship between the investigation focuses and the Science in the New Zealand Curriculum achievement objectives.