ERIC Number: ED252402
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-Nov
Pages: 19
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Toward Professional Development in Science Education for the Primary School Teacher. Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 119.
Symington, David; Osborne, Roger
Science programs provided for primary school have not always been successful. A major reason suggested is that some programs place demands on teachers which many teachers find difficult to meet and which give rise to concerns which restrict their development as teachers of science. Based on the work of the the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--in New Zealand, various concerns of teachers are considered. They include: (1) their limited background in science; (2) their belief that hands-on inquiry is the only acceptable form of science activity in the primary classroom; (3) their ability to manage a class effectively and maintain appropriate student behavior; (4) their ability to organize necessary resource materials; (5) their concern about evaluation; (6) their choice of topics for the science program; and (7) their influence on children's ideas. An approach is suggested designed to promote teachers' professional growth in the teaching of science so that they can move from these concerns of self to concerns about learners. Science programs are proposed which allow teachers both to cope effectively and to focus on children's thinking about natural phenomena. The current research of the Learning in LISP(P) focuses on exploring the practicality and the potential of these proposals. (Author/JN)
Descriptors: Concept Teaching, Curriculum Development, Elementary Education, Elementary School Science, Foreign Countries, Learning Strategies, Performance Factors, Professional Development, Science Curriculum, Science Education, Science Instruction, Science Projects, Staff Development, Teacher Education
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers; Researchers; Administrators; Policymakers; Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Waikato Univ., Hamilton (New Zealand). Science Education Research Unit.
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A