Malaysian Teacher Trainees' Practices on Science and the Relevance of Science Education for Sustainability

Autor/inn/en	Nair, Subadrah Madhawa; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Marimuthu, Nagamah
Titel	Malaysian Teacher Trainees' Practices on Science and the Relevance of Science Education for Sustainability
Quelle	In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 14 (2013) 1, S.71-89 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1467-6370
DOI	10.1108/14676371311288967
Schlagwörter	Teaching Methods; Science Education; Preservice Teachers; Teacher Education; Foreign Countries; Ethical Instruction; Sustainability; Questionnaires; Science Instruction; Relevance (Education); Student Attitudes; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Gender Differences; Cultural Background; Culturally Relevant Education; Environmental Education; Malaysia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Lehrerausbildung; Lehrerbildung; Ausland; Ethics instruction; Teaching of ethics; Ethikunterricht; Nachhaltigkeit; Fragebogen; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Relevance; Relevanz; Schülerverhalten; Pädagogische Kompetenz; Geschlechterkonflikt; Umweltbildung; Umwelterziehung; Umweltpädagogik
Abstract	Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the practice of teacher trainees on science and the relevance of science education. The study focuses on teacher trainees' practice on science teaching and its relevance to understanding science education. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a survey method using questionnaires. The samples consist of 80 teacher trainees, majoring in Science Education, from a teachers training institute in Malaysia. The teacher trainees were asked to complete a set of questionnaires on the relevance of their content knowledge of science to Science Education, application of student's home culture in classroom science and in infusing moral education in classroom lessons. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistical and inferential statistical (independent samples t-test). Findings: The results showed that the female trainees' practice of science and the relevance of science education is significantly higher than that of their male counterparts. Besides that, the findings indicate that there is no significant difference between the male and female trainees on their practices of students' home culture applied in classroom science and applying moral education in teaching science. The findings also indicated there is a need to bring in students' home culture into the teaching and learning of science. Practical implications: Findings of this paper suggest one approach that could be adopted to make science education more relevant to the students understanding is by incorporating teaching strategies that are designed to promote content learning through a cultural relevant curriculum. This will make schools a better place to inculcate environmental concerns for a sustainable future. Originality/value: This paper highlights the need to educate trainee teachers (male and female) and bring them closer to gain cooperation and commitment to achieve sustainability. The paper also proposes the need to bring in students' home culture, priorities and concern into the teaching and learning of science. (Contains 7 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10