| Abstract: | Conclusions This group of preservice teachers entered their education programme with conceptions about teaching primary science which
are biased towards science content and preparation for secondary science. However, although process skills are not mentioned
specifically by the vast majority of students, about a third of the intake considered “problem solving/discovering” things
to be a purpose for teaching primary science. There would appear to be a ‘base’ for change towards a balanced process-product
so favourably to the structured questionnaire on choice of teaching strategies tends to support this opinion.
Process skill competency and orientation must be addressed in the preservice science units but with an appropriate emphasis
on their interdependence with concept development. Some input ensuring an understanding of the processes within the overall
scientific framework would seem to be required.
The next stage of this study will be to compare the pre- and post-unit data to determine a measure of the changes (if any)
that have occurred. As the unit focusses on student led discussions related to the interdependence of science process skill
and concept development Harlen (1985), Chapters 1 to 7]; includes practical investigations which emphasise learner preconceptions
and investigation planning, data collecting and processing; and requires students to prepare lesson sequences revolving around
Harlen's “shapes”, e.g. hypothesis generation (p.p. 166–172), then significant changes are anticipated. |
