Making science relevant

The Science Capital Teaching Approach supports teachers in helping students find more meaning and relevance in science subjects.

The Science Capital Teaching Approach supports teachers in helping students find more meaning and relevance in science subjects.

The free Science Capital Teaching Approach pack is now available to teachers who want to develop their students’ science capital.

The pack provides a comprehensive introduction to the approach, including exercises and photocopiable resources.

The concept of ‘science capital’ is a way of encapsulating all the science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and social contacts that an individual may have. The ideas for this approach were co-developed and trialled over four years between Enterprising Science researchers and 43 secondary science teachers in England.

Enterprising Science is a five-year partnership between bp, the Science Museum, University College London and King’s College London, designed to understand how young people from all backgrounds engage with science, and how their engagement might be supported.

To help more — and more diverse — students engage with science, the science capital teaching approach builds on good teaching practice. Its key distinction is an explicit focus on recognising and valuing students’ existing science capital, whilst also helping them to build new science capital.

The approach works within any science curriculum. It is not a new set of materials and it does not mean a dilution of science ideas and concepts. Instead, it is a reflective framework that involves making small tweaks to existing practice so as to re-orientate science lessons in ways that can better connect with the reality of students’ lives and experiences.

Find out more about the Science Capital Teaching Approach, and download the free teacher’s pack to use it in class.