The recent national
Discipline Review of Teacher Education in Mathematics and Science outlines the lack of confidence of many preservice primary school teachers in teaching science. This study explores the attitudes
of 170 primary school teachers in a Perth school district.
By means of a simple questionnaire the perceptions and attitudes of these teachers about the following aspects have been examined:
(1) background understanding of science; (2) preservice training; (3) interest in teaching science; (4) skill in teaching
science; (5) confidence in the plant, animal, matter, energy areas, and (6) time spent teaching science. Besides compiling
frequency responses for all teachers on these aspects comparisons have also been made on the basis of: (1) gender; (2) time
of graduation, and (3) grade level taught.
Specializations: Primary science, teacher attitudes.
Specializations: Primary science, science teaching strategies, curriculum implementation, cognitive studies.