Incidental Learners: Exploring Primary School Science Teachers' Learning

Incidental Learners: Exploring primary school science teachers’ learning during the Science Enrichment Programmes at the Science Centre Singapore Savita Sharma A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University April 2016 Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science The Australian National University Declaration I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text. Acknowledgements The work I have presented in this thesis has been made possible by the support, guidance, kind assistance and generosity of many, to only some of whom it is possible to give particular mention here. First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my principal supervisor and mentor, Professor Susan Stocklmayer, for guiding me through the right path and challenging me to achieve more than I thought possible. She has enabled me to grow as a researcher and, very importantly, to be confident in my own capabilities. Thank you Sue, for being a source of inspiration. Sincere thanks to Dr. Sean Perera, my research supervisor, for his kindness and outstanding guidance throughout my research. As this thesis was developed, I have always received encouragement, helpful suggestions and he has helped raise the standards of my writing. I would like to offer my special thanks to Dr Chew Tuan Cheong, Ex. Chief Executive, Science Centre Singapore, for his encouragement and support to pursue this journey towards PhD. My great appreciation to Associate Professor Lim Tit Ming, Chief Executive, Science Centre Singapore, for being truly supportive and helping me to balance my work, pursue my dreams and, most importantly, for motivating and inspiring me. At the ANU Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, I thank my advisor Dr Merryn McKinnon, and other staff members, especially Professor Mike Gore, for their support and guidance and Mrs Mary Hooper for the tremendous administrative support. I am deeply grateful to the Singapore primary school teachers who participated in my study; thank you for generously offering your time and sharing your views. I also want to thank all my Science Centre Singapore colleagues for supporting me throughout my journey. I extend my appreciation to Dr. Florence Francis – who was always helpful. To all the Science Educators at the Science Centre Singapore, thank you for your enthusiasm and professionalism in conducting the Science Enrichment Programmes that are the key component in this study and making such a positive impact on teachers experience and their learning. Mrs Chee, Ms Mei Bao, Ms Syn Yin, Mr Patrick Wang, Ms Gurpreet Hansra, Mr Jianxiang, Ms Nura, Ms Prabha, Mr Yong, Miss Lee Fai and Mr Andrew. This work could not have been completed without you and the help of many other individuals from the various departments – you are all rock stars! A special mention and note of thanks to Mrs Anne Dhanaraj for her mentorship; and Dr Song Choon, for his endless support during my study. They say behind every successful man, is a woman. But for me, without my dearest husband, Umesh Kumar Sharma, I might not have been able to believe in myself and achieve what I have today. He is my best friend and a constant source of strength for the past 30 years. My PhD journey started with his words of encouragement and love, and I dedicate this thesis to the man who has made me successful as an individual today. Thank you Umesh for the foundation you built to help me take this bold step. Lastly but most importantly, I thank my two lovely children, Utsav and Ujwal. Not only are they a source of inspiration but they have helped me through this difficult journey in every single way they could. They provided their immense support and tremendous love, which cannot be described. I love you both, always. ABSTRACT Teacher learning is active, continuous and challenging. As there is growing and ever-broadening knowledge in science, teachers need continuous support to maintain best practices throughout their career. For teachers to perform their diverse and complex roles, they need relevant science learning experiences. This is especially the case for primary school teachers. This study investigated whether and how primary school teachers in Singapore learn during Enrichment Programmes which are designed for primary school students, at Science Centre Singapore. The main focus of the study was to explore the nature of teachers’ constructed knowledge during the programmes, which are facilitated by three different dimensions of science communication. The method included a survey, interviews and observations. Analysis of the data from quantitative and qualitative results enabled a description of teacher learning in the programmes designed and conducted for students. The results led to the construction of a teachers’ learning model. This model establishes that teachers learn through communicating in different roles during the programmes. Further reflection leads to useful integration of the knowledge gained, which then contributes to classroom practice. The programmes provide a unique space for enhancement of elements of the teachers’ professional knowledge landscape, which differs from the kind of professional development offered in programmes designed for teachers. Further research is required, however, to understand more about how Pedagogical Context Knowledge is informed by these different roles. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Preamble 1 Background to the study 2 Statement of problem 11 Method 12 Significance of the study 13 Limitations of the study 14 Structure of the thesis 15 Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction 16 The Role of the Teacher 19 Problems faced by Primary Science Teachers 35 Professional Development of Science Teachers 38 Learning in Informal Settings 50 Learning by Inquiry 78 Chapter 3: Research Methods Introduction 97 Overview of Research Procedures 97 Research Questions 100 The Pilot Study 101 Main Study –Stage 1: Survey 104 Main Study –Stage 2: Interviews 108 Main Study –Stage 3: Observations 115 Chapter 4: Results Introduction 124 The Pilot Study 124 Main Study –Stage 1: Survey 129 Main Study –Stage 2: Interviews 139 Content Knowledge 141 Classroom Knowledge 150 Personal/Professional Knowledge 157 Pedagogical Content Knowledge 165 Main Study –Stage 3: Observations 177 Chapter 5: Discussion Introduction 188 Discussion Part 1: The Teacher’s Role 190 Teacher’s Role as an Education Professional 191 Teacher’s Role as a Student 193 Teacher’s Role as an Observer 196 Discussion Part 2: Teachers Constructing Knowledge 201 Reflection of Dimension One: Teachers Role as an Education Professional 203 Reflection of Dimension Two: Teachers Role as a Student 206 Reflection of Dimension Three: Teacher’s Role as an Observer 207 Discussion Part 3: Teachers’ Active and Reflective Learning Model 212 Chapter 6: Conclusion Introduction 218 Recommendations of the Study 220 Limitations of the Study 222 References 224 Appendices 253 List of Tables Table 1: Challenges Encountered by Teachers during Field Trips. 62 Table 2: Description of skills and process 90 Table 3: Chosen Science Enrichment Programmes for the Study 105 Table 4: Purpose of Bringing Students to Attend for EP (Preliminary Survey) 127 Table 5: Purpose of Bringing Students to Attend for EP (Main Survey) 132 List of Figures Figure 1: Formal Education – Informal Learning 51 Figure 2: The Contextual Model of Learning 71 Figure 3: The Primary Science Syllabus 88 Figure 4: Student numbers of Science Enrichment Programmes 93 Figure 5: Participant Numbers for Chosen Science Enrichment Programmes 106 Figure 6: Observation Guide for the Science Enrichment Programme 121 Figure 7: Flowchart Showing Stages of the Research Process 123 Figure 8: Teachers’ Teaching Experience (Pilot) 125 Figure 9: Teachers’ Preferences for Enrichment Programmes (Pilot) 126 Figure 10: Primary School Teachers’ Education Background (Pilot) 128 Figure 11: Teachers’ Teaching Experience in Primary Schools (Main) 130 Figure 12: Primary School Teachers’ Education Background 131 Figure 13: Information Provided in the Enrichment Programme 133 Figure 14: Teachers Intent to Applying New Information in their School 133 Figure 15: How Science Enrichment Programmes Differs from Schools 134 Figure 16: Are Teachers and Students Co-participants in the Learning Process? 135 Figure 17: Reasons for Being Co-participants in the Learning Process 136 Figure 18: Layout of the DNA Lab 179 Figure 19: Teacher and Students Catching Pond Animals 180 Figure 20: Teacher Communicating with Students. 181 Figure 21: Information Presented by the Science Educator. 182 Figure 22: A Light Box Showing the Path of Light. 184 Figure 23: A Teacher taking Photographs of Science Educator 185 Numbers of Teachers of Numbers Figure 24: Communication between Teacher and the Science Educator 193 Figure 25: Communication between Teacher as a Student 196 Figure 26: Communication between Teacher and the Students 199 Figure 27: The Three Dimensions of Teachers’ Active Communication 200 Figure 28: Teachers’ ‘Reflective Learning Environment’ 210 Figure 29: Three Dimensional Teachers Learning Communication Model 216 . Preamble As a Science Educator for the past 22 years at the Science Centre Singapore, I have been conducting

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