ABSTRACT

Abstract
Many available literature shows that the teaching learning situation and related elements of education in Nepal are content rote memory oriented, as in other developing countries. Such methods have been claimed or explained ineffective by observers and researchers on the basis of rationales for teaching. The poor examination results confirm this assertion. There is also a serious shortage of science teachers, which has further intensified the ineffective science teaching-learning situation in Nepal.

The existence of such a situation (in Nepal) is attributed primarily to the reason that the people concerned especially teachers are not aware of the philosophical modern view of science. There is also deep-rooted cultural impact of rote learning. They have not been able to incorporate the classroom teaching learning activities as recommended by education technologists, practising teaching specialists, or as demanded by the rationales for (science) teaching and teaching learning principles.

This study at its heart has the notion that the understanding of the modern philosophical view of science (education), is the first step for the foundation of learning process of problem solving, reasoning etc. The concept of education in a given society is reflected in the classroom teaching learning behaviour. The shift from rote learning to problem solving is considered essential for quality education. This has to be seen as classroom teaching learning behaviour. The change is possible through a training program focused on it. Thus a programme for popularising modern view of (science) education, scientific understanding and development of teaching skills and abilities as demanded by the rationales for teaching is needed in such a place where teaching learning situation is similar to that of Nepal.

One of the practical means to popularise science can be through schools by training teachers enabling them to organise effective teaching learning situation in the classroom. So a training programme of such an objective is needed to have developed. Teachers need such a training anyway. The assumption is that classroom teaching reflects teacher's understanding of rationales for teaching thus, his view of educational philosophy.

In this study a training programme is proposed, designed and evaluated in the course of its development. The training programme includes training procedure, training course, and a classroom teaching observation tool and evaluation system. It provides suggestions for adoption and implementation of the training programme with its possible implications. The training is based on the modern view of science and the rationales for science teaching. It is focused upon the minimum requirements for teaching science (in Nepal). They are, knowledge and practical activities for text-book contents, use of locally available resources and basic theoretical aspects of science education. The procedure of the training programme consists of a general introduction, demonstration teaching, and discussion for group decision and actual training for practice teaching phases.  The complete training may be counted for 150 hrs when all requirements are fulfilled.

Three case studies and a follow up visit of one case study were done during this research. The findings of this study have provided the evidence that the developed training programme can change classroom-teaching behaviours of science teachers from rote memory oriented to student-centred approaches as required by the rationales for (science) teaching. It can also develop the understanding of the modern view of science and rationales for science teaching in science teachers of Nepal.