Chapter 54
Conquering Content: A Key to Promoting
Self-efficacy in Primary Science Teaching
Anne Hume
54.1 Introduction
At a time when nations are calling for scientifically literate citizenry to achieve
economic, societal and environmental goals (Slavin et al. 2014 ), international
studies report concern about primary students’growing disinterest in science and
falling rates of achievement (e.g. Tytler et al. 2008 ). Inquiry-based learning in real
life contexts is widely promoted as a means for gaining primary students’interest
and enabling their engagement in authentic scientific processes and argumentation
as they develop understanding of key science ideas and vocabulary (e.g. Nowicki
et al. 2013 ). Unfortunately, it is reported that these approaches/practices are not
commonplace in primary classrooms (Slavin et al. 2014 ).
54.2 Barriers to Inquiry-Based Learning
in Primary Science
The reasons why inquiry-based learning in science, indeed science itself, has a low
profile in primary science classrooms needs further research (Slavin et al. 2014 ), but
some factors clearly have a bearing. First and foremost, are the very high expec-
tations that an overcrowded curriculum places on primary teachers, requiring them
to have the professional knowledge and capabilities to teach numerous subjects to a
diverse range of learners (Nowicki et al. 2013 ). Added pressures come from the
A. Hume (&)
University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
e-mail: [email protected]
©Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017
M.A. Peters et al. (eds.),A Companion to Research in Teacher Education,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4075-7_54
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