Primary Teachers’ Instructional Behavior as Related to Students’ Engagement in Science Learning

摘要

The aim of our study was to investigate how teachers? instructional behavior in primary science class is related to pupils’ engagement in science learning. We used observation and a questionnaire. We found that a balanced teaching style, rather than a dominance of either structured or autonomy supportive teaching, resulted in more engagement but that 38 per cent of pupils did not engage with science learning at all. This is a potentially important issue for teacher education: the importance of fostering engagement in science learning should be explored more and teacher education methodology in the field of science improved.