Science education

In resent years there was a shift from perspectives that adopt individual constructivist assumptions (Tobin, 1993; Von Glasersfeld, 1995; Mintzes, Wandersee & Novak, 1998;) to socioconstructivist, sociocultural and discursive ones (Solomon, 1993; Driver, 1995; Lemke 2001, Mortimer & Scott 2003; Wells, 1999; Roth, 1998; Cowie & van der Aalsvoort 2000). The major thrust of the critique coming from situated and socio-cultural approaches, is that reasoning is a phenomenon that shows considerable variability depending on the cultural context in which it occurs, the meaning of the task at hand and the tools available (Cole, 1996; Lave, 1988; Rogoff, 2003).

The socioconstructivist and sociocultural shift in views about the nature of learning and nature of teaching creates major conflicts with the fundamental teaching beliefs of many science teachers. Despite the overwhelming push towards teaching methods involving research and inquiry, there is little evidence that these practices are happening in science classrooms. In many studies of the role of the teacher in relation to the new socioconstructivist and sociocultural approaches it has been established that most of the teachers are not familiar with constructive and sociocultural learning principles and function mainly as dispensers of knowledge and less as facilitators, are closed and authoritative and not open and dialogic (Lemke, 1990; Nystrand, 1997; Newton et al 1999; Piliouras et al, 2003, 2004).

Many scholars have promoted a social constructivist view of learning in teacher development (Tobin, 1993; Bell & Gilbert 1996). Others have proposed a sociocultural one (Matusof & Hayes 2002, Wells 2002).

Sociocultural driven teacher development programs are based on the assumption that learning is a community process of transformation of participation in sociocultural activities (Rogoff, Matusov, & White, 1996, Rogoff, 2003). So the sociocultural driven approaches to teacher learning and development should focus on teachers’ changing participation in their community of practice. In this view, learning is a collaboratively and socially constructed entity, rather than an individual possession. Teacher learning is a collaborative inquiry process as teachers interact with peers around a topic, and in activities with the guidance of the instructor who has particular experience in the area. A socio-cultural view of learning suggests a situated work embedded model which is more likely to engage science teachers in activities and interactions that are directly related to their practices (Fletcher, 2002). Situated action has the potential for teachers to re-examine their practice within the context of their every-day work enabling them to evaluate outcomes as they relate to their teaching experiences and their students’ learning needs.

The result of our study is in accordance with other studies that have shown that high school science students and in-service teachers’ views of the NOL and teaching are not consistent with current accepted definitions about these issues. The results of our study indicated that:

• Science teachers state that they are at least theoretically informed about constructivist approaches and do not hesitate to adopt such assumptions about the NOL.
• Science teachers aren’t well prepared to use pedagogical strategies such as: making connections between science and History of Science, guiding a class of students using investigative strategies, using computers for simulations and demonstration of scientific principles.
• The answers of the science teachers indicate a conceptual centred orientation of teachers’ views about science learning instead of the contemporary meaning making one.
• Prospective and current science teachers state that their objective is to help their students learn about the history and the nature of science, although this assertion is in opposition to their own beliefs about these concepts as our research has indicated.
• Science teachers are not well prepared to use strategies such as: debates – argumentation activities, drama activities, role playing, simulations, concept maps, utilization of events of the History of Science.

The review of literature in science education research has shown that the designing of teachers’ in-service training programs has to be in accordance with the following fundamental principles (Kokkotas, 2003):

a. The aim of teachers’ in-service training is using teachers’ views and practices to achieve appropriation of knowledge and competencies in some important teaching and learning aspects of science.

b. In-service science teachers following a professional development program are learners who actively construct their own theories about teaching and learning. This is achieved through their personal teaching experience and determined by their attitudes and beliefs.

c. The quality, breadth, and flexibility of teaching practices they use in the classroom are closely connected with their professional development.

d. In-service science teachers who attend professional development programs improve their teaching and learning processes by interacting with their colleagues and expanding experience of the processes of teaching and learning.

e. The teaching and learning processes receive continuous support from teachers who attend professional development programs, and offer opportunities of allowing them to interact with colleagues and exchange experience on these processes.