ASSESSING IN-SERVICE PHYSICAL SCIENCE TEACHERS' PRACTICES AND THEIR EXPERIENCES ABOUT STUDENT-CENTERED APPROACH

This research paper reports the findings about Student-Centered approach (SCA) in Telangana from the practices and experiences of high school physical science teachers. The aim of the of the present study was to explore how the Student-centered approach (SCA) was perceived by Physical Science teachers (PSTs) and to what extent their actual classroom practices reflected this approach. The study utilised the both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied for data analysis and the data were collected through questionnaire and observation techniques. Multistage sampling technique was used for the study. At first stage, 200 Physical science teachers were taken from Khammam, Karimnagar and Warangal districts of Telangana state which covers male and female teachers, by random sampling. Class room observations were conducted from 30% of the selected teachers. The result showed that, most of the physical science teachers did not employ the prescribed student-centered approach in the high schools physical science lessons. Only very limited teachers were employing it. The inefficiency of some of the teaching-learning activities, physical characteristics of the classroom setting and duration of the allocated time for the activities were among the weak aspects of the SCA. The researcher recommends the need to address dilemmas in the implementation of SCA approaches such as: class sizes, curriculum design, and teacher shortage; shortage of instructional resources and facilities; and the medium of instruction; physical science curriculum should be designed to allow teachers' flexibility; and teachers' need of mastery in the substantive and syntactic knowledge. Other recommendations include: teachers' need of in-service training regarding the conceptual and theoretical understanding of SCA, its approaches, and application in physical science classrooms. Future studies should allow comparisons among teachers from different states across the country.