TEACHERS’ CONFIDENCE AND PREPAREDNESS IN TEACHING SCIENCE IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS
5. Implications
secondary level. As Postlethwaite and Wiley (1992) have demonstrated that science achievement of secondary students is closely linked to science achievement of primary students, it becomes apparent that improvement in science education at the secondary level must take into consideration on how successful science is taught at the primary level. Teachers will be in a better position to respond effectively to this expectation if they have the confidence and preparedness to teach science at the primary level. As Caillods, Gottelmann-Duret, and Lewin (1996, p.60) argued “How teachers teach is a function of how adequate their knowledge of science is and the sophistication of their conceptions of science constructs; it also depends on their interpersonal skills with students, their pedagogical skill, the leadership they receive and the learning culture in schools.” Therefore, the key to improving the quality of science education is to improve the quality of primary school teachers because they are the ones responsible for carrying out the new curricula and initiatives that are stipulated in the reform agenda.
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