Improving Observation and Experimental Skills and Scientific Knowledge for Elementary School Teachers in Lectures for the Teacher Qualification Renewal System

Abstract

A course for teachers aimed at acquisition of knowledge and the skills of observation and experimentation in elementary school science was opened for the teacher qualification renewal system. The course was held separately for those specializing in Matter and Energy fields: one lecture was for third and fourth grades in elementary school, the other was for fifth and sixth grades. For each course, 20 participants attended a lecture to learn about and acquire methods for preparation and teaching of practical experiments related to textbook concepts. Participants also learned background scientific knowledge, skills, and hints related to instruction for experiments.Before the lectures, most participants evaluated themselves not strongly confident in teaching each unit (average 3.1 on a five-point Likert scale). After the lecture, they evaluated themselves as confident at least in teaching about observation methods and experimental materials that they experienced in the lecture (average 4.0 on the five-point scale). Participants also evaluated the lectures' contents and methods in teaching skills and knowledge to teach: results higher than 3.5 (on a four-point scale) were obtained. No excess time was needed and all prepared contents were executed. The contents and the time required for these lectures were highly evaluated. Participants reported high satisfaction with these lectures.However, one person suggested that characteristics of the circuits should be taught more carefully along with reagent dilution and preparation (concentration computations). One questionnaire respondent hoped for a similar course for a unit that was not handled this time in the "Life and the Earth" field. How these requests can be resolved in a limited time is a problem that should be resolved through future practical evaluations.