scholarly journals Science Teachers’ and Senior Secondary Schools Students’ Perceptions of Earth and Environmental Science Topics

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaille Dawson ◽  
Katherine Carson
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Earth Science ◽  
Secondary Science ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Senior Secondary Schools ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis article presents an evaluation of a new upper secondary Earth and Environmental Science (EES) course in Western Australia. Twenty-seven EES teachers were interviewed and 243 students were surveyed about the degree of difficulty, relevance and interest of EES topics in the course. The impact of the course on students’ views about EES topics was also explored. It was found that more than two thirds of the students chose to study EES because of personal interest. However, students perceived that some Earth science topics were difficult, boring or irrelevant. A lack of content knowledge from lower secondary science contributed to these perceptions. Nevertheless, teachers and students perceived that their understanding and attitudes towards environmental science topics such as climate change was improved. With the advent of a new Australian senior secondary science curriculum that includes EES, the implications of the findings for curriculum development and teacher professional development are discussed.

The Role of School Libraries in Supporting Inquiry-Based Methods for Teaching Science in Nigerian Schools: Challenges and Possibilities

Libri ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olabode Olajide ◽  
Sandy Zinn
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
National Development ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Senior Secondary Schools ◽  
Senior Secondary

Abstract Using a constructivist lens, this study investigated the role of school libraries in supporting an inquiry-based approach for teaching and learning science subjects in senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria, the challenges faced and possibilities presented. The significance of this study is based on the importance Nigeria has assigned to science education as a means to achieving national development. A mixed-methods approach was chosen for the study. The population of the study included school librarians, principals, and science teachers in public senior secondary schools as well as staff in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology concerned with supporting and managing resources for science teaching and learning. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Quantitative data collected through the questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS, while qualitative data were transcribed and thematically analyzed. The findings revealed the library resource most frequently available in school libraries for supporting science curriculum implementation is a textbook. Most of the staff in charge of the library had no librarianship qualification. Teacher-centred approaches predominated amongst teachers. The study emphasizes how school libraries are underrated as support for the curriculum. It proffers some far reaching recommendations to position school libraries for better performance.

scholarly journals Secondary Science Teachers’ Views on Environmental Citizenship in The Netherlands

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7963
Author(s):  
Michiel van Harskamp ◽  
Marie-Christine P. J. Knippels ◽  
Wouter R. van Joolingen
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Citizenship Education ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Explicit Representation ◽  
Secondary Science ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Secondary Science Teachers ◽  
Environmental Citizenship ◽  
Teacher Professional

Environmental Citizenship (EC) is a promising aim for science education. EC enables people not only to responsibly make decisions on sustainability issues—such as use of renewable energy sources—but also to take action individually and collectively. However, studies show that education for EC is challenging. Because our understanding of EC practice remains limited, an in-depth, qualitative view would help us better understand how to support science teachers during EC education. This study aims to describe current EC education practices. What do secondary science teachers think sustainability and citizenship entail? What are their experiences (both positive and negative) with education for EC? A total of 41 Dutch science teachers were interviewed in an individual, face-to-face setting. Analysis of the coded transcripts shows that most teachers see the added value of EC but struggle to fully implement it in their teaching. They think the curriculum is unsuitable to reach EC, and they see activities such as guiding discussions and opinion forming as challenging. Furthermore, science teachers’ interpretation of citizenship education remains narrow, thus making it unlikely that their lessons are successful in fostering EC. Improving EC education therefore may be supported by explicit representation in the curriculum and teacher professional development directed at its implementation.

The Impact of Social Networks on Science Students' Academic Performance in Ondo State Senior Secondary Schools, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Jethro Oludare OLOJO
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Science Students ◽  
The Social ◽  
Ondo State ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Senior Secondary Schools ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of social network usage on science students’ academic achievements in Ondo State’s senior secondary schools. The study was also to find the extent to which students under investigation used the social network platforms and the frequencies of their visits. In order to achieve this, a structured questionnaire was designed and administered to students from the three senatorial districts that made up the state. A multistage; which involved simple random and purposive sampling approaches was used to select the sample for the study. 150 copies of the questionnaire were distributed; out of which, 148 (98.78%) copies were returned. For the study, four research questions and two research hypotheses were developed. The hypotheses were assessed using the student's - t statistic at 0.05 significant level; using SPSS version 20 while the research questions formulated were evaluated using frequency counts and percentages. The study revealed that Ondo State senior secondary school science students can efficiently use the social network platforms for academic activities with male students being more proficient than their female counterparts. The study also revealed that the usage of social networks has assisted students to improve their academic performance; irrespective of their classes. Besides, the study showed that Facebook was the most popular of all the social network platforms. To this end, the researcher recommended that teachers, parents, and guidance should monitor the activities of their wards on the social network sites so that they can use the platforms to benefit their lots. Teachers should also use the advantage of students’ exposure to social networking to change their teaching methods from traditional one to online teaching.

Target Inquiry

2017 ◽  
pp. 383-416
Author(s):  
Tanya Gupta ◽  
Deborah Herrington ◽  
Ellen J. Yezierski
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Effective Teacher ◽  
Teacher Experiences ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Change In Teacher Practice ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
The Impact

Researchers have identified several features of effective teacher professional development. Yet, there is little research on long-term Professional Development (PD) programs that provides information on the impact of such programs on in-service teacher experiences and practice during long-term PD. A qualitative case-study approach was used to investigate the impact of the Target Inquiry (TI), a long-term PD program, on change in teacher practice and the factors that support or impede these changes. The TI program is for science teachers who wish to earn a Master of Education focused on advanced content or to complete a 15-credit certificate program. Bell & Gilbert's model of teacher development and Spillane's model of teacher enactment of reforms were used as a frameworks to examine change. Teachers reported that participating in long-term PD, when combined with the necessary tools, resources, and strategies empowered them to embrace an inquiry-based practice.

Using Virtual Rehearsal in a Simulator to Impact the Performance of Science Teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Dieker ◽  
Carrie Straub ◽  
Michael Hynes ◽  
Charles E. Hughes ◽  
Caitlyn Bukathy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Secondary Science ◽  
Behavior Changes ◽  
Group Design ◽  
Secondary Science Teachers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study investigated the use of a virtual learning environment, TeachLivE, using pre-post group design to examine the effects of repeated virtual rehearsal sessions. Based upon past findings on the effectiveness of four 10-minutes sessions, the research team used refined methods to examine the effects of these sessions on 102 secondary science teachers. Teachers who took part in the simulated activities significantly increased their targeted behaviors compared to colleagues who had not taken part in the simulation activities. These results of behavior changes that occurred in the simulation were found to transfer back to the real classroom settings for the experimental group (simulation use). Results from this study further validates the impact of simulation in teacher education, showing professional learning in virtual-reality simulated classrooms can positively impact targeted teaching practices in a concentrated amount of time.

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