Philippine E-Journals

Non-traditional Beliefs of Secondary School Science Teachers as Correlates to Teaching Practices

Ray Butch D. Mahinay

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

A teacher’s belief system shapes up his teaching practices. This study investigated the relationship between science beliefs and science teaching practices among the 94 public secondary school science teachers in Cagayan de Oro City. A descriptive-correlation method of research was employed. A survey tool from the National Council of Teachers in Mathematics was used but modified, tested and validated to suit the change of the subject domain which is from math to science. Results showed that the science teachers have primarily nontraditional levels both in their science beliefs and teaching practices. Analysis yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.509 which denotes that there is substantial relationship between the two variables. Through focus-group discussion, barriers in the belief-practice continuum were revealed. Despite the limiting factors in the process, the high level of belief and practices of the science teachers are attributed to the fact that 52% of them have taken post-baccalaureate studies where they learned updates on science instruction and 78% had attended 6 times or more on the trainings provided by the Department of Education. The study concludes that science beliefs and teaching practices is a dynamic two-way progression between one’s personal structures and practical experience.