Application of Teaching Strategies and Methods in Science and Social Studies Classes

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a survey which aimed to determine the preferences of primary school class teachers toward student-centred or teacher-centred teaching strategies and methods, the frequency with which they are used in science and social studies classes, and the correlation between these variables. The research was conducted on a sample of 301 class teachers from the Republic of Croatia. The results indicate that teachers prefer student-centred teaching strategies and methods. Despite of that, in their teaching practice they employ teacher-centred teaching strategies and methods significantly more frequently in terms of statistics, especially in the realisation of the learning outcomes set by the curriculum in the main part of the lesson. Moreover, a positive correlation between the teachers' opinion about the application of certain teaching strategies and methods and the frequency of their use has been determined. The implications of the obtained results for future research on this topic, as well as for the advancement and further modernisation of primary science and social studies teaching, are considered in the conclusion.