Elementary School Science Teachers’ Belief about Science and Science Teaching in Constructivist Landscape

The study explored the proximity of Japanese science teachers’ (both practicing and prospective) beliefs about science and teaching of science in the backdrop of the principles of teaching and learning suggested by constructivism. Furthermore, a comparison of Japanese and Pakistani practicing science teacher’s beliefs about science and science teaching was also studied. Five domains were identified in which teacher’s beliefs were more likely to affect the classroom practices. A questionnaire, comprising of 28 statements, was made based upon the five domains of beliefs already identified. The data was collected form 314 teachers/prospective teachers, which include 159 Japanese practicing teachers from nine different districts of Japan, 85 prospective science teachers enrolled in teacher training undergraduate course in Tokyo Gakugei University, and 70 Pakistani science teachers from Lahore metropolitan area. From results it was evident that the assumption about different types of science teachers’ having different beliefs about science and science teaching was valid. There were differences among different types of teachers and across different domains of beliefs. But overall there was more pro-constructivist tendency among Japanese teachers of all categories as compared to Pakistani science teachers.