Changing science teaching: lessons from a long‐term evaluation of a short in‐service course

Abstract

An evaluation of a two‐day short course on teaching science suggested some interesting hypotheses about the relationship of the course to change in practice. Over two years, the evaluation sought the participants’ views on the constructivist approach promoted by the course. In the long‐term renewal of teaching in line with the principles proposed, an important mediating factor appeared to be the process of getting a critical grasp of the ideas involved in constructivism. Teachers’ existing knowledge was identified as an important factor in the way that new ideas are examined. There is some suggestion that apparently familiar ideas do not at first get the critical attention needed for the fine‐grained discrimination necessary for a critical understanding to be developed. It is suggested that fidelity and demonstration provide a mechanism by which teachers may enhance their critical grasp of the approach proposed to them.