Inquiry-Based Science Education Competencies of Primary School Teachers: A Delphi Study

• In Event: Inquiry in Science Teacher Education: Powerful Pedagogical Approaches and Implications for Practices

Abstract

Teachers with contemporary knowledge and skills are the foundation of science education. Limited amount of research has been reported on required inquiry-based education competencies of primary school teachers in the Netherlands. We identified and classified twenty-two elements of required inquiry-based science teaching competencies at primary school level. A three round Delphi study, conducted between October 2009 and November 2010, sought to validate empirically the extent of any consensus among 32 experts from the Netherlands on the found competencies. The results confirmed the importance of the 22 selected competencies distinguished between the importance of these competencies for starting and experienced teachers, specified the level of mastery, and added 1 competency element to the proposed model.

Author

• Ester Alake-Tuenter, Wageningen University