Change in Elementary School Teacher’s Attitude Toward Teaching Science Following a Pairing Program

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the attitude of practicing teachers toward teaching science and technology (S&T). It reports the results of a study conducted with 110 late-elementary school teachers in order to assess their attitude at the end of a particular training intervention. The intervention was based on pairing teachers with pre-university science students (aged 17–19). In the experimental group, all 42 teachers were accompanied by a pre-university student in their classroom to conduct activities on topics included in the intervention. We used a mixed-method approach, combining pretest, posttest, and interviews. The interaction effect of factorial ANOVAs was significant for the subconstructs of self-efficacy, context-dependency, and behavioral intention to teach specific S&T concepts. The interviews suggest that the presence of pre-university students in the classroom had a beneficial effect on teachers’ attitude.

KEYWORDS:

• Science teaching
• science education
• teachers’ attitude
• pairing process

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the CRSH [890-2015-2005].