Enhancing lower secondary school science teachers' science process skills and laboratory lesson preparation through a social constructivist-based professional development workshop
Laboratory work is essential for science learning in developing students' scientific knowledge, process skills, and attitudes. Science teachers must therefore have sufficient skills in preparing and implementing laboratory work. However, many science teachers lack such skills. This study aims t...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
2018
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| Online Access: | https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/33894 |
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| Institution: | Mahidol University |
| Summary: | Laboratory work is essential for science learning in developing students' scientific knowledge, process skills, and attitudes. Science teachers must therefore have sufficient skills in preparing and implementing laboratory work. However, many science teachers lack such skills. This study aims to enhance science teachers' science process and laboratory lesson preparation skills via a social constructivist-based professional development workshop. The interpretive research methodology was utilized as a research framework. The participants consisted of thirty-six lower secondary school science teachers (Grades 7-9) from the Western Region of Thailand. Before and after the workshop, the teachers' science process skills were assessed by the Performance Test of Science Process Skills (PTSP).The teachers' interactions and science process skills in conducting scientific experiments during the workshop were observed. Lesson plans created by the teachers were also reviewed regarding the integration of science process skills and social constructivist perspectives. The results revealed that their science process skills were adequate in most skills, except the skill of defining variables operationally. The workshop, to some extent, helped the teachers develop their science process skills. The observations during the workshop evidenced that the teachers lacked some science content knowledge and skills. The lesson plans intensively showed the integration of science process skills and the social constructivist perspectives. However, there was a mismatch when setting learning standards, learning objectives, instruction, and assessment. © Common Ground, Nantarat Kruea-In, Khajornsak Buaraphan. |
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