Anthony Pell

Primary teachers’ changing attitudes and cognition during a two‐year science in‐service programme and their effect on pupils

Changes in 70 teachers’ confidence, attitudes and science understanding were tested before and after a major in‐service programme. Attitudes were assessed using a 49‐item Likert‐scale test that probed attitudes to practical science teaching and in‐service training. Multi‐choice and open‐ended questions measured understanding of electricity; melting, dissolving and evaporation; forces; and investigations. Data on pupils’ attitudes and cognition were also collected. After in‐service, teachers’ confidence about science teaching had improved significantly. The majority, but not all, had developed satisfactory levels of understanding and more positive attitudes. Four broad types of response were identified: high attainers who improved attitudes and confidence; teachers with limited science knowledge who found the course difficult but made improvements; unaffected professionals who were already working well and for whom the course had little effect; and disaffected teachers who showed low levels of confidence and competence throughout. Pupil cognition and attitudinal differences related to these types were also found.

The effects of changes in class size on teacher–pupil interaction

Abstract This chapter examines the changes in teacher–pupil interaction which occurred when teachers from the state maintained sector, with classes containing around thirty children, were provided with the opportunity to teach classes of approximately half that size. This was achieved either by “buddying” each of these teachers with a partner from a private school or by employing an extra teacher to take half of the large class. The results of the observation of these lessons showed increases in the types of interaction which previous research has shown to be positively correlated with increased pupil achievement. These increases, however, were not statistically significant. The chapter, therefore, concludes that before future experimental studies are carried out, there is a need for training designed to maximize the use of these key teacher–pupil interactions in small class settings.

Enjoyment and Attainment in Secondary School Physics

Enjoyment of physics lessons in the senior secondary school has been shown to be related to attainment in the GCE O‐ and A‐level physics examinations. Boys’ attitudes are generally superior to those of the girls but, while the boys show the expected attitude deterioration over the sixth‐form course, the girls’ attitudes remain stable and at the end of secondary schooling are no different to the boys’. Girls’ enjoyment of physics in the fifth‐form is associated with a preference for learning‐by‐experiment, while in the sixth‐form the association is with a philosophical approach to course material. By means of covariate controls, enjoyment and attainment differences between the A‐level physics courses of five GCE Boards are explored.

South African Primary Children's Attitudes to Science

Attitudes to science scales developed in England have been used in a rural region of South Africa with children aged 10 and 11 years in a two-stage data collection investigation. Cultural constraints on the use of †foreign’ scales are explored. Factor analyses reveal differences between the South African and English children. A South African †science enthusiasm’ factor has emerged from the African language version of one of the three scales, which reflects both the universality of science education and the new South African national science policy. The effect of language on reliability and validity is reported for test administrations in Xitsonga and English. Interviews with children at the three participating schools show an appreciation of practical science, despite limited resource provision. The research illustrates the possibilities of teacher-initiated contribution to curriculum development in a region of South Africa where there is a pre-existing pool of re-educated science teachers.

Introducing Science Experiments to Rote-Learning Classes in Pakistani Middle Schools.

Abstract A mixed-methods sequential research design has been used to test the effect of introducing teacher science demonstrations to a traditional book-learning sample of 384 Grade 7 boys and girls from five schools in Lahore, Pakistan. In the quasi-experimental quantitative study, the eight classes of comparable ability were designated either Experimental or Control. After pre-testing for attainment and attitudes to science, the Experimental classes were taught the physics topics of Electricity and Light/Colour by means of teacher demonstrations. The Control classes were taught the same topics through textbook exposition. Post-tests on the original measures and residual gain analysis resulted in the girls in the Experimental classes showing significantly greater improvement on both topic tests. Boys in Experimental classes recorded significantly higher scores on the Electricity test only. Attitudes to science show distinct gender-dependent factor structures reflecting national cultural characteristics. Initially, puzzling outcomes as Experimental class students reassessed their attitudes were explained by post-hoc interviews in a qualitative follow-up. Interviews with teachers showed that they were fully aware of the deficiencies of the science presented but attributed this to an overloaded, rigid, test-oriented curriculum. Implications for the education of girls and curriculum improvement are discussed.

Attitudes to School Science held by Primary Children in Pakistan

Abstract Attitudes to science scales developed earlier in England have been used in and around a Pakistan city with children in Primary/Elementary Grades 4–8. The limitations of a ‘transferred scale’ in a culturally different context are apparent in a failure to reproduce the English factor patterns, but items are identified to serve as a base for future attitudinal research in Pakistan. An ‘individual science explorer’ scale has been constructed for Pakistani children aged 10–11 years, which shows a motivation to science despite limited resource provision in the schools. Interviews with a sample of children validate the role of practical science in the classroom, although in reality there is little on offer other than learning from the book. Gender differences in attitudes explored in urban and semi-urban locations show the potential of girls in the latter areas. There is no detectable effect of overt Islamic values and attitudes at work. Recommendations are made for teacher participation in science curriculum reform to initiate a wider adoption of learning through exposure to experiment and investigation.

The Relationships Between Primary Teachers’ Attitudes and Cognition During a Two Year Science In-Service Programme

Teachers’ confidence and attitudes towards science teaching and science understanding were tested before and after a major in-service programme in 31 schools. The 70 teachers’ attitudes were assessed using a 49-item Likert-scale test. Science understanding was measured by multi-choice and open-ended questions. Data on pupils’ attitudes and cognition was also collected. After in-service, overall teachers’ initial confidence about science teaching had improved significantly. The majority of teachers, but not all, had developed satisfactory levels of understanding and more positive attitudes. Teachers responded to the in-service programme in different ways. Four teacher types were identified: high attainers who improved attitudes and confidence; teachers with limited science knowledge who found the course difficult but made improvements; unaffected professionals who were already working well and for whom the course had little effect; and disaffected teachers who showed low levels of confidence and competence throughout. Pupil cognition and attitudinal differences related to these types were found.

Changes in secondary technicians’ attitudes following a four‐day in‐service programme and subsequent effects on school practice

Science teachers in the England have always relied on the support of largely self‐taught technicians when preparing classroom practicals. The technicians have acquired some of their expertise through ad hoc mentoring by senior colleagues, but very few have had any extended training. This research set out to explore the changing attitudes of 40 science technicians in the English East Midlands who attended four‐day training courses during 2005. Their attitudes towards their current jobs and career as well as the effect of more formal training was explored by using pre‐ and post‐course questionnaires along with in‐depth interviews. Teachers who worked closely with them were also interviewed to gauge the impact of the training courses on the work of their departments. The study revealed that the courses increased most participants’ job satisfaction and their confidence in their craft, but that training benefits could be compromised if communication with line managers was poor.