Investigating science teachers’ response to curriculum innovation

Abstract

This paper explores how teachers’ pedagogic practices changed in response to a curriculum innovation and, more importantly, why they changed in the ways that they did. The study describes the changes in pedagogy of six Grade six primary school teachers who were exposed to a training programme designed to develop science process skills in school pupils. It explores the educational setting of each teacher in order to identify factors, both physical and social, affecting the ways in which teachers’ pedagogy changed. Three kinds of data were used: observations, interviews with teachers and field notes. The data show patterns of adaptation influenced by different factors in different schools. How teachers perceived their needs for development was heavily influenced by each particular educational setting. This in turn influenced the level of engagement in the training programme and how they adapted pedagogic strategies to their particular circumstances.