A Study of Teacher Opinion Regarding Some of the Means by Which Elementary School Science Instruction Can Be Made More Effective

Abstract

In this master thesis the author surveys and analyzes teacher opinion on how to best improve science instruction in the elementary school. Fifty-three elementary school teachers in East Irondequoit Central School District and 35 teachers from outer districts were polled on their opinion on how to improve science in the elementary school. Polled teachers were asked to rank specific areas of improvement according to their importance. Results indicated that the most important method of science improvement was designing a science program aimed at providing children from kindergarten through the sixth grade with a basic understanding that will enable them to pursue science instruction in the seventh grade. Other improvements deemed to be very significant include providing more for science teachers, such as lists of all science books and films available in the school, and college credit offered to teachers to keep them up to date with the latest advancements in science. Teachers generally opposed ideas of allowing other people to come in and teach specific subject materials. All suggestions of inviting others to teach segments of the class were deemed to be unimportant in improving science education.