The Development of Beginning Chemistry Teachers' Teaching Techniques.

N

8

Researchers

Analogy; Beginning Teachers; Chemistry; Discussion (Teaching Technique); Divergent Thinking; Foreign Countries; Junior High Schools; Questioning Techniques; Science Instruction; Science Teachers; Secondary School Teachers; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Evaluation; Teaching Methods

The identification of the characteristics of teaching experts can help beginning teachers to learn and provide a picture for both beginning science teachers and science educators on what has been accomplished and what has to be done in the future. This study, as part of an evaluation project, was intended to investigate the progress of a group of beginning chemistry teachers on teaching techniques that had been taught in a preservice training program. Fifteen beginning chemistry teachers were observed and videotaped in the classroom. The teachers had graduated from one of the three universities which provide the preservice training of chemistry teachers in Taiwan. The results reveal that the beginning chemistry teachers were able to improve significantly in the teaching techniques of asking divergent questions and giving appropriate wait time to students after questioning. However, almost no progress was made on the following teaching techniques: (1) using analogies to explain theoretical concepts; and (2) initiating classroom discussions. The quantitative results of the study indicate that a typical beginning science teacher tends to ask students to memorize science content knowledge and formulas. Contains 14 references. (LZ)

1995

ED383568