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Beliefs and attitudes of urban primary teachers toward physical science and teaching physical science

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Journal of Elementary Science Education

Abstract

Eighteen primary teachers (K-3) from five urban schools in the southeastern part of the United States participated in this study. The purposes of this study were to provide insight into options for inservice education programs dealing with urban teachers and their unique needs and to determine some of the attitudes and beliefs of urban primary school teachers toward physical science and physical science teaching. The results of this study indicated that these elementary teachers realized the importance of hands-on activities. However, they felt a need for a stronger knowledge of chemistry and physics to competently teach elementary physical science using that instructional strategy. There were significantly positive relationships between their attitudes and beliefs about physical science.

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Atwater, M.M., Gardner, C. & Kight, C.R. Beliefs and attitudes of urban primary teachers toward physical science and teaching physical science. J Elem Sci Edu 3, 3–12 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173033

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