Effective science communication practices and simple hands-on activities: two important elements of teacher professional development

Abstract

Inquiry-based pedagogy remains a key reform recommendation for school science internationally. Many science teachers are, however, challenged by inquiry. Mounting evidence suggests two main reasons for teachers' reluctance towards this student-centred approach of instruction: a lack of a well grounded science knowledge base; and inadequate exposure to inquiry in practice. This paper presents qualitative evidence from Australian, Indonesian and Sri Lankan science teachers who participated in one-day professional development workshops that exemplified constructivist learning. The findings indicate that simple hands-on activities and effective science communication practices can help to foster inquiry. Show more