Professor Phil Scott
Professor of Science Education
Tel: +44 (0)113 3434674
Fax: +44 (0)113 3434683
Room: ECS 10.78
Email: p.h.scott@education.leeds.ac.uk
Physics and science education; instructional design: teaching and learning science concepts in high schools; role of language in teaching and learning science concepts.
Member of CSSME.
Interests
I am Professor of Science Education, Director of the Centre for Studies in Science and Mathematics Education (CSSME) at the University of Leeds and am Visiting (Adjunct) Professor of Physics Education in the Physics Department at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. I am also coordinator of an academic collaboration project between CSSME and the Science Education Group, University of Aarhus, Denmark. I was recently elected to serve as an Executive Board Member of the USA National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) and am Co-chair of the Awards Committee. I am joint Editor of the international journal, Studies in Science Education.
My current research interests follow two related paths. The first focuses on teaching and learning scientific conceptual knowledge in high schools. The second is based on using sociocultural and other related theory as a basis for studying language use, teaching and learning in science classrooms. My research in language and learning has involved working with Eduardo Mortimer from University Federal Minas Gerais, Brazil, and Neil Mercer, University of Cambridge. I am particularly keen to supervise research degrees in both of these areas.
I am currently (April 2009) starting 2 new research projects. The first involves working with the EU Framework 7 sponsored project: STEAM, Science Teacher Education Advanced Methods, which focuses on disseminating research-based teaching approaches to teachers. The second involves probing the impact of CPD programmes run at the National Science Learning Centre in York.
I currently (April 2009) supervise 7 PhD students and am coordinator of the White Rose Science Education Team (involving Leeds, York, Sheffield, Hallam Universities) which won the White Rose Studentships Competition 2009, to bring 4 fully paid doctoral studentships to Yorkshire.
In terms of teaching, I am coordinator of the MA Science specialist programme. I also lead a module in the MA Teaching programme for beginner teachers and contribute to the MA Assessment module. I am involved in CPD work with practicing science teachers, both locally and nationally. In the last 3 years I have made 6 key note presentations at international meetings in various locations around the world including Iceland, Mexico, Sweden and Turkey.
Before coming to the University I was, over a period of 13 years, Head of Physics, Head of Science and a Senior Teacher in West Yorkshire comprehensive schools. I am a lifelong supporter of Sunderland Association Football Club and a keen mountain biker.
Selected Publications
PAPERS
Scott, P. and Ametller, J. (2007). "Teaching science in a meaningful way: striking a balance between ‘opening up’ and ‘closing down’ classroom talk.". School Science Review, 88(324), 77-83.
Scott, P. (2007). "Questions about teachers’ goals, learners’ roles and the co-construction of knowledge. Forum: A sociocultural perspective on mediated activity in third grade science.". Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1, 497-515.
Scott, P., Mortimer, E. and Aguiar, O. (2006). "The tension between authoritative and dialogic discourse: a fundamental characteristic of meaning making interactions in high school science lessons.". Science Education, 90, 605-631.
Savinainen, A., Scott, P. and Viiri, J. (2005). "Using a bridging representation and social interactions to foster conceptual change: designing and evaluating and instructional sequence for Newton’s third law.". Science Education, 89 (2), 179-195.
Leach, J. and Scott, P. (2002). "Designing and evaluating science teaching sequences: an approach drawing upon the concept of learning demand and a social constructivist perspective on learning.". Studies in Science Education, 38, 115-142.
Scott, P.H. (1998). "Teacher talk and meaning making in science classrooms: A Vygotskian analysis and review.". Studies in Science Education, 32, 45-80.
BOOKS
Mortimer, E.F. and Scott, P.H. (2003). "Meaning Making in Secondary Science Classrooms". Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Driver, R., Leach, J., Millar, R. and Scott, P. (1996). "Young people's images of science.". Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
CHAPTERS
Leach, J.T. and Scott, P. (2008). "Teaching for conceptual understanding: An approach drawing on individual and sociocultural perspectives." in: Stella Vosniadou (Ed.) International Handbook of Research on Conceptual Change. Routledge.
Scott, P. (2008). "Talking a way to understanding in science classrooms." in: M.Mercer and S.Hodgkinson (Ed.) Exploring Talk in Schools. Sage Publications.
Scott, P.H., Leach, J.T. and Asoko, H. (2007). "Student conceptions and conceptual learning in science." in: S. Abell and N. Lederman (Ed.) The Handbook of Research on Science Education.. Erlbaum.
Scott, P. (2007). "Challenging Gifted Learners through Classroom Dialogue." in: K. Taber (Ed.) Science Education for Gifted Learners.. Routledge.
Extended list of publications.
This page last updated by Phil Scott on 24th March 2009