Elementary Sclence Teachers' Perceptions of Problem-Solving Skills in Indonesia and Japan : Focusing on Teaching Objectives and Teaching Method

Abstract

The major goal of this study is to identify the impact of the coordination of the intended curriculum to the implemented curriculum on the development of problem-solving skills in Indonesia. In order to reach the goal, this study compares Indonesia and Japan with regard to teachers' perceptions of their teaching practice and problem-solving goals, and the structural relationship of those perceptions. Three analyses of Indonesian teachers revealed the followings: (1) Indonesian teachers utilize expository teaching more frequently than problem-solving teaching. (2) Indonesian teachers place less emphasis on problem-solving processes and techniques than do Japanese teachers. (3) The prevailing teaching method of Indonesian teachers, expository teaching, does not have a significant relationship with the goals of problem-solving processes and presentation. The study suggests that Indonesian teachers' inadequacy in utilizing problem-solving teaching has a considerable impact on students' acquisition of problem-solving skills.