Introduction

The use of problem and inquiry-based learning approaches to develop skills and competences in physics and mathematics education have been strongly promoted over the past two decades. Recent studies highlight that an integrated approach to STEM education can be effective in supporting students to develop a range of transversal competences such as problem-solving, innovation and creativity, communication, critical thinking, meta-cognitive skills, collaboration, self-regulation, and disciplinary competences (McLoughlin et al., 2020). A central theme in integrated STEM education research is the value of using real-world contexts as a basis for designing ‘authentic’ learning opportunities in the classroom (McLoughlin et al., 2020). The age group of 10-16 years is a critical period for the formation of science aspirations of young children (DeWitt & Archer, 2015). This is also the age when students undertake several educational transitions, including transitions across school systems (e.g., primary level to second level), transitions between teachers, transitions across subjects (e.g., moving from a general science curriculum to a specialised physics curriculum).  A systematic review of research on science and mathematics transitions noted that the experiences of transition, if negative, may impact not only on students’ academic performance but also strongly associate with the development of their scientific identities and their aspirations for scientific careers (Kaur et.al., 2022a). The review highlighted that a lack of communication and collaboration between teachers is a key factor that influences students’ experiences of science learning across primary-secondary transitions. The approach presented below proposes one way in which teachers can work collaboratively to design rich tasks for their classrooms.

Task Description

Here, we present a framework for supporting teachers in co-designing rich tasks. It is presented in the context of a problem where students are asked to calculate the volume of a cylinder.

To support teachers in codesigning rich tasks in physics and mathematics, a structured approach via the six-step SAMRII (Solve, Anticipate, Modify, Reflect, Implement, Inquire) model is presented. The SAMRII model offers a structured approach to designing rich tasks for differentiated instruction. This is a collaborative task for teachers, allowing them to adapt and co-design a rich task suitable for the contexts in which they work.