Some primary‐school teachers’ understanding of the Earth's place in the universe

doi:10.1080/0267152930080107

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Some primary‐school teachers’ understanding of the Earth's place in the universe

Published Mar 1, 1993 · J. Mant, Mike Summers

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Abstract

Abstract This article describes research into primary‐school teachers’ understanding of a strand of the National Curriculum for science, namely ‘The Earth's Place in the Universe’. An opportunity sample of 20 teachers varying widely in age, science background and teaching experience was interviewed in depth for about an hour. The interviews covered observations of the sky; explanations for day and night, the seasons, the phases of the moon; the position and movement of the planets; the scale of the solar system; and the relationship between stars, planets and the solar system. The interviews were analysed in two ways. First, each section was examined for all interviews. The frequencies of both the scientific view and various misconceptions were noted. Secondly, each interview was examined as a whole and the mental model of the universe held by that interviewee was extracted. These mental models were grouped and compared with the scientific model. Results are presented as tables summarizing the views encou...

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Study Snapshot

Primary-school teachers' understanding of the Earth's place in the universe varies, with some holding misconceptions and others embracing the scientific model.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Some primary‐school teachers’ understanding of the Earth's place in the universe

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