Teaching methods employed by exemplary science teachers : a case study in selected international schools

Abstract

Science is a systematic study of nature by means of careful observation, experimentation, logical reasoning and conclusion. Through proper teaching methodologies, science teachers can produce students who would be able to contribute to the technological advancement of the nation at large. Therefore, the investigation on effective teachers who are identified to be “exemplary” is necessary so that their teaching methods could be studied and their practices documented. This study was carried out to investigate how “exemplary” science teachers teach and what their perceptions areregarding effective teaching and learning. Three teachers who were nominated as being exemplary by their respective school principals participated in this study. Investigations on the methods they employed in the classroom were carried out by means of observation and interviews. Additionally, their lesson plans were scrutinized for evidence of effective pedagogical use. The findings reveal that the exemplary teachers fulfilled several of the criteria mentioned in Cimer’s (2007) six principles of effective science teaching that were adopted as the framework for this study. This implies that the six principles are applicable to the Malaysian science education context. Teachers in this study were found to employ different strategies depending on several factors, such as students’ age group, available resources and the topic itself. The study also reveals the use of novel teaching methods by the exemplary teachers that were proven to be effective. The teachers expressed their concerns regarding the poor performance of Malaysian students in international benchmarks, and offered probable solutions to tackle the issue which include a review of the curriculum in place.