The Nairobi model: A focus on primary science classroom practice

This (school based approach) complements the other advantage which comes with school-based teacher education: the opportunity to take stock of a learner-teacher’s needs, and, over an extended period, to cater for these needs, to monitor the ways they develop, and toe respond to these developments

Promoting curiosity through students’ questioning

Asking questions is central to intellectual effort; it is instrumental in bridging the gap between the known and the unknown. Questioning existed even before the time of Greek philosopher Socrates and still prevails in classrooms. Questioning is a major teaching and learning strategy for teachers in Pakistan. Unfortunately, teachers’ questioning overrules students’ questioning, leaving neither space nor time to create an interactive environment that promotes curiosity and meaningful learning. Using an innovative approach, we attempted to implement students’ questioning in an upper primary science classroom. The encouraging findings of our study and their implications are discussed in this article

Taking “STOCK” of pedagogical content knowledge in science education

This article focuses on efforts of facilitate the development of MEd science students\u27 conceptual understanding of content, pedagogy and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). A basic premise of the approach taken was that to teach conceptually, students must learn conceptually. A four-step conceptual process was followed with the participants to help them actively construct knowledge about fundamental science concepts and enhance their confidence and enthusiasm for science teaching. Equivalent forms of an assessment instrument entitled the Science Test of Content Knowledge (STOCK), used as per- and post-performance measures, revealed a significant difference. The article describes the structured activities built into the approach which employed focused, interactive, and conceptual-change approach taken is presented in relation to broader application in science teacher education

Science teachers’ alternate conceptions about direct-currents

Over the past three decades a number of studies have investigated alternative conceptions held by students as well as teachers in the fields of the physical, biological, as well as the earth sciences. Most of the studies were conducted in the UK, USA, New Zealand and Australia. More studies on alternative conceptions have been conducted on students rather than teachers. Alternative concepts have become a major focus of classroom based research studies in light of current trends towards more interactive science teaching and learning. More recently, many countries, other than the ones mentioned above, are bringing about a change in classroom practice through teacher education. Pakistan is one of these countries actively involved. This paper reports on a qualitative research study carried out in 1998 on alternative conceptions (ACs) held by a select group of middle school (teachers of classes VI-VIII; age range of students 12-16 years) teachers. The topic focus was current electricity and the study was designed to identify the nature and origin of the ACs of these teachers and to relate them to other similar studies carried out by other researchers