Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Science Education

The purpose of the study was to clarify attainment of Indonesian elementary science curriculum 1994 through comparing Indonesian and Japanese students' acquisition of process skills. The 5th and 6th grades elementary school students' acquisition of science process skills were measured using the Science Process Assessment for Elementary Students (PSAES). Significant differences attributed to students' acquisition of basic skills and integrated skills are indicated as follows: (1) Japanese students' acquisition of basic skills is significantly higher than Indonesian students. (2) Japanese students' acquisition of integrated skills is significantly higher than Indonesian students. The discrepancies of science process skills acquisition between Indonesian and Japanese students have some implications with the accomplishment of the curriculum. The study suggests the need of to re-focusing Indonesian elementary science curriculum from process skills towards process-oriented problem solving.

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This study focuses on the teaching impediments for Japanese andIndonesian teachers. The results indicates that there are some teaching impediments existed in Indonesia, but none of the perceived problems obstacle the promotion of the problem solving teaching method.

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The actual emphasis laid on Knowledge and Understanding, Application of Knowledge, and Attitudes and Process Skills during teaching and learning by the specific objectives was revealed in the study. The study focused on the relationship between the percent weights of the profile dimensions stated in the preamble of the syllabus and the real emphasis by the specific objectives. Only 0.3% of the specific objectives in the primary syllabus were focused on attitude although it is the most highly emphasized learning behaviour.in the general aims of the syllabuses. There was no specific objective to initiate attitudinal behaviour in the junior secondary school (J.S.S.) syllabus. Furthermore, whereas, 40% emphasis on application has been stated in the preamble of the J.S.S. syllabus, only 1.9% of the specific objectives have been focused on application among the specific objectives. This study will allow curriculum developers to plan the syllabus such that, the specific objectives are a reflection of the percent weights of the profile dimensions specified in the preamble of the syllabus. This will help teachers to be more effective since teaching and learning activities are designed based on the specific objectives.

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