The importance of teaching about the nature of science in the primary classroom

One o f the aims o f this research was to explore NoS conceptions amongst pre-service and novice teachers and to establish the extent to which their pupils developed more contemporary Nose conceptions, when taught about NoS through explicit means. The study also considered the effects of explicitly teaching NoS on beginning teachers' approaches to and perceptions o f teaching science and on their pupil's reflections o f school science. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, which included questionnaires, group interviews and written reflections, was utilised to explore the research questions. There were four phases in the research. Phase one aimed at developing nineteen preservice primary teachers' NoS conceptions. The extent to which these nineteen preservice teachers planned and explicitly taught aspects o f NoS over the course of their final teaching practice was addressed in the second phase. The third phase compared the extent to which four beginning teachers planned for and explicitly addressed NoS in their initial teaching year. Two o f these teachers had taken the NoS elective course (test) the previous year and two had not (control). The third phase also explored the effect that explicitly teaching NoS had on these beginning teachers' approaches to and perceptions o f teaching science. The development o f N oS conceptions o f the pupils o f these four beginning teachers (9-11 years) was also explored in the third phase. The extent to which explicitly teaching NoS affected these primary children's reflections on school science was also established in this phase. A preliminary content analysis o f seven international curriculum documents and two international assessment tools was conducted in the fourth phase to ascertain the extent to which these docum ents explicitly assessed NoS. The findings o f this study corroborated international research in that it indicated that explicit methods of teaching about NoS resulted in the developm ent o f more elaborate conceptions of NoS amongst pre-service prim ary teachers. However, the findings also revealed that beginning primary teachers' contemporary NoS conceptions could be transferred to their pupils utilising explicit hands-on reflective approaches to teaching about NoS. The study also revealed new insights that are relevant to the teaching of primary science on a national and international basis. It was established that primary teachers who em ployed explicit approaches to teaching NoS as part of the Science Curriculum (DES, 1999a) utilised more hands-on, reflective constructivist approaches to teaching science and appeared to be more enthusiastic and confident about teaching science. In addition to developing more elaborate NoS conceptions amongst prim ary children, this study also revealed that explicit approaches to NoS resulted in an increased interest in and enjoyment o f school science amongst Irish primary school children. The primary children in this study w ho experienced explicit methods in NoS appeared to have been given more opportunities to employ and develop their science skills than their peers who did not experience explicit instruction in NoS. Other benefits of explicit approaches to teaching about NoS apparent in the findings were improved language developm ent and an increase in the children's ability to formulate and present argum ents for discussion. Opportunities afforded to children when explicitly addressing NoS issues appear to have facilitated them in the employment and development o f their reflective and thinking skills. The research indicates that the development of contemporary conceptions of science is an important aspect of primary science in that, amongst other benefits, it helps the learning o f scientific concepts and skills and helps humanise science for children, thus making it more interesting for them to learn. Pre-service and in-service courses that provide teachers with the opportunity to develop their conceptual and pedagogical knowledge o f NoS could facilitate Irish primary teachers in explicitly teaching about NoS as part of the Science Curriculum (DES, 1999a). There are concerns in Ireland regarding the decline in the num ber o f students taking science at secondary and tertiary level (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2002b). The report o f the Task Force on the Physical Sciences (2002) included a number of recommendations in relation to science at primary level, which included improving the quality o f science teaching, in-career developm ent for teachers and the establishment o f an integrated national science awareness programme. This study revealed that incorporating explicit approaches to NoS as part o f the Science Curriculum increased teachers' and pupils' interest in and enjoyment o f science. If the development o f NoS was included as a core aim in the Primary Science Curriculum, primary children could become more interested in science, which may in turn lead to an increase in the uptake o f science beyond the point o f choice

At the Crossroads: The impact of new Irish science curricula on first year post-primary students

In Ireland, new science curricula were introduced at primary and early post- primary levels in 2003, in an effort to reverse declining interest and enrolment in science. This paper reports on a national study that explored first year post-primary students’ experiences of and attitudes towards school science under these new curricula. Data were gathered from 366 pupils using survey and case study approaches. Findings revealed broadly positive attitudes towards post-primary school science, especially the experimental work that is at the heart of the new curriculum. However, it would appear that students were not conducting open-ended investigations or using information and communications technology [ICT] to any great extent; moreover, there was some evidence of traditional teaching methods being utilised. Pupils were highly critical of previous primary school science experiences, reporting a lack of ‘hands-on’ activities, didactic methodologies and, for a significant minority, a paucity of any memorable primary science at all. Improvements in curricular implementation are proposed

A starting point: provide children opportunities to engage with scientific inquiry and nature of science

This paper explores the effect teachers’ participation in a targeted inquiry-based/nature of science (NoS) continuing professional development programme had on Irish primary children’s experiences of scientific inquiry and developing conceptions of NoS. Data were gathered from 459 children from 10 Dublin schools. The findings revealed that their teachers’ engagement with the targeted professional development programme had positive effects on the children’s experiences of scientific inquiry and on their developing NoS conceptions. It was apparent that professional development methodologies were effectively implemented throughout the school year. which led to a significant increase in these children’s engagement with more child-led inquiry-based approaches and a significant decrease in engagement with more teacher-led methodologies. Furthermore, engagement with the professional development methodologies resulted in the children developing more elaborate conceptions regarding ‘general aspects’ of NoS. The findings are significant in that that they add to the growing body of literature that asserts that pedagogy regarding ‘general aspects’ of NoS is an appropriate starting point in supporting the development of young children’s NoS conceptions. Furthermore, engagement with the programme methodologies during school science enabled the children to make sense of science in their everyday lives. Science education policy documents worldwide highlight the importance of scientific literacy and suggest that if students are to become scientifically literate it is essential that they develop their understanding about the processes of science and the type of knowledge science produces and have the ability to apply this scientific knowledge in every day contexts. The findings in this study are significant in that it is apparent that engagement with inquiry-based and NoS pedagogies appeared to have been a very good starting point in supporting the development of these young children’s scientific literacy skills

Changing practice: an evaluation of the impact of a nature of science inquiry-based professional development programme on primary teachers

 This study investigates how a two-year continuing professional development (CPD) programme, with an emphasis on teaching about science through inquiry, impacted the experiences of, approaches to and attitudes towards teaching science of 17 primary teachers in Dublin. Data sources included interview, questionnaire and reflective journal strategies. Data gathering focussed primarily on enabling teachers to reflect on their experiences of teaching about science through inquiry while implementing the Irish primary science curriculum. Teachers were also asked to consider their own changes in teaching science, as change in practice is a key indicator of successful professional intervention. Encouragingly the findings have shown that participation in this CPD programme appears to have been central to empowering these Dublin teachers to break away from rather traditional, didactic, theory-laden views of science teaching and to tackle more child-led, openended modes of learning. The data also revealed a number of aspects of the CPD model which the teachers perceived to be beneficial at translating inquiry into their classrooms, in particular: the active, hands-on approaches; the collaboration and the duration of the CPD itself. Based on the findings of this study, implications for professional development are considered

‘We practise every day’: Parents’ attitudes towards early science learning and education among a sample of urban families in Ireland

Educational policies increasingly emphasise early childhood science engagement. As key influencers in children’s early learning, parents (n=85) attending a science workshop in three urban schools in Ireland were surveyed regarding their attitudes towards science. Seventy per cent of parents believed that science education should begin in the pre-school years, before the age of four. Despite high levels of education, at least half of the parents expressed some lack of confidence in talking about, and in doing science with, their young children. Parents who reported less confidence in doing science activities with their children also reported reduced frequency of activities for five out of the seven science learning opportunities listed. Mothers, compared to fathers, reported less confidence in doing science activities with their children. Findings indicate that parents’ confidence in science may impact early science experiences and highlight parents as a key support for increasing early science engagement

The importance of teaching about the nature of science in the primary classroom

One o f the aims o f this research was to explore NoS conceptions amongst pre-service and novice teachers and to establish the extent to which their pupils developed more contemporary Nose conceptions, when taught about NoS through explicit means. The study also considered the effects of explicitly teaching NoS on beginning teachers\u27 approaches to and perceptions o f teaching science and on their pupil\u27s reflections o f school science. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, which included questionnaires, group interviews and written reflections, was utilised to explore the research questions. There were four phases in the research. Phase one aimed at developing nineteen preservice primary teachers\u27 NoS conceptions. The extent to which these nineteen preservice teachers planned and explicitly taught aspects o f NoS over the course of their final teaching practice was addressed in the second phase. The third phase compared the extent to which four beginning teachers planned for and explicitly addressed NoS in their initial teaching year. Two o f these teachers had taken the NoS elective course (test) the previous year and two had not (control). The third phase also explored the effect that explicitly teaching NoS had on these beginning teachers\u27 approaches to and perceptions o f teaching science. The development o f N oS conceptions o f the pupils o f these four beginning teachers (9-11 years) was also explored in the third phase. The extent to which explicitly teaching NoS affected these primary children\u27s reflections on school science was also established in this phase. A preliminary content analysis o f seven international curriculum documents and two international assessment tools was conducted in the fourth phase to ascertain the extent to which these docum ents explicitly assessed NoS. The findings o f this study corroborated international research in that it indicated that explicit methods of teaching about NoS resulted in the developm ent o f more elaborate conceptions of NoS amongst pre-service prim ary teachers. However, the findings also revealed that beginning primary teachers\u27 contemporary NoS conceptions could be transferred to their pupils utilising explicit hands-on reflective approaches to teaching about NoS. The study also revealed new insights that are relevant to the teaching of primary science on a national and international basis. It was established that primary teachers who em ployed explicit approaches to teaching NoS as part of the Science Curriculum (DES, 1999a) utilised more hands-on, reflective constructivist approaches to teaching science and appeared to be more enthusiastic and confident about teaching science. In addition to developing more elaborate NoS conceptions amongst prim ary children, this study also revealed that explicit approaches to NoS resulted in an increased interest in and enjoyment o f school science amongst Irish primary school children. The primary children in this study w ho experienced explicit methods in NoS appeared to have been given more opportunities to employ and develop their science skills than their peers who did not experience explicit instruction in NoS. Other benefits of explicit approaches to teaching about NoS apparent in the findings were improved language developm ent and an increase in the children\u27s ability to formulate and present argum ents for discussion. Opportunities afforded to children when explicitly addressing NoS issues appear to have facilitated them in the employment and development o f their reflective and thinking skills. The research indicates that the development of contemporary conceptions of science is an important aspect of primary science in that, amongst other benefits, it helps the learning o f scientific concepts and skills and helps humanise science for children, thus making it more interesting for them to learn. Pre-service and in-service courses that provide teachers with the opportunity to develop their conceptual and pedagogical knowledge o f NoS could facilitate Irish primary teachers in explicitly teaching about NoS as part of the Science Curriculum (DES, 1999a). There are concerns in Ireland regarding the decline in the num ber o f students taking science at secondary and tertiary level (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2002b). The report o f the Task Force on the Physical Sciences (2002) included a number of recommendations in relation to science at primary level, which included improving the quality o f science teaching, in-career developm ent for teachers and the establishment o f an integrated national science awareness programme. This study revealed that incorporating explicit approaches to NoS as part o f the Science Curriculum increased teachers\u27 and pupils\u27 interest in and enjoyment o f science. If the development o f NoS was included as a core aim in the Primary Science Curriculum, primary children could become more interested in science, which may in turn lead to an increase in the uptake o f science beyond the point o f choice

The impact of a curriculum course on pre-service primary teachers\u27 science content knowledge and attitudes towards teaching science

Many primary school teachers have insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge of science. This lack of knowledge can often lead to a lack of confidence and competence in teaching science. This article explores the impact of a year-long science methodology (curriculum science) course on second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students\u27 conceptual and pedagogical knowledge of science and on their attitudes towards teaching science in the primary classroom. A questionnaire, containing closed and open questions, was administered to students at the beginning and end of their science methodology course. The findings revealed that the science course had a positive impact on developing students’ scientific content knowledge. While the students were positive about the prospect of teaching science, insufficient scientific content knowledge was a concern for many of them, as were concerns over various teaching methodologies and classroom management issues in teaching science. The findings of this study are worrying, as it is likely that high percentages of these students will enter the teaching profession with similar inaccurate conceptions of science as the students they will be teaching