Abstract:

The focus of this study is to investigate the impact of participatory action research on the teacher ability to created learning modules based on a proposed teaching philosophy and approach. The study involves longitudinal qualitative research, based on the development of modules which reflect a teaching approach seeking to make science education more meaningful and relevant for students. The research aims to determine how teachers’ involvement in participatory action research (PAR) impacts on their ownership to create teaching-learning materials based on the proposed teaching approach.
The outcomes from the PAR showed that teachers with lower self-efficacy preferred to work in teams and teachers with higher self-efficacy created modules alone. All teachers appreciated the joint discussions in developing and evaluating modules. High self-efficacy supported stronger teacher ownership and coincided with decreased influence of external constraints (time, lack of tools, curriculum demands) in the ability to operationalise the 3-stage Education through Science (EtS) model in classroom teaching. In addition, collaboration and joint reflections are shown to be major building blocks in developing teacher ownership associated with the creation of the teaching modules, based on the adopted teaching approach. Positive student feedback on the use of the modules in the classroom and improved student performance increased teacher’s confidence in the effectiveness of the teaching approach and support the adoption of the EtS teaching approach.

Keywords:

Participatory action research, context-based science teaching, teacher professional development.