Effect and Recognition of Peer Instruction in Training of In-service Science Teachers

Abstract

We have studied possibilities of Peer Instruction(PI) to train in-service science teachers in elementary and middle schools through both degree of conceptual changes and investigating responses to questionaries. 169 teachers were attended and the subject for training was about light propagation to teach scientific conception about a pin hole camera. 6 conceptests were developed. Degree of conceptual changes was analyzed from results obtained from 24 elementary and 32 middle school teachers among them. On the other hand, answers to questionaries were obtained from 135. Relatively high gain near to about 0.7 in conceptual changes was obtained even though their initial levels were quite low. Interesting point is that elementary teachers have higher initial level and larger gain than middle school teachers. Teachers have very much enjoyed and showed strong support to PI for helping conceptual change, and willing to use PI to their own class. Also they conceived dealing concept in teacher training is very important and evaluated PI very positively for teacher training.