New Perspectives in Science Education

This paper reviews the study carried out by Borg (2021) [1] which addresses an underexplored area of science education in Malta - the perspective of local secondary school educators on chemistry teaching. The study investigated the different pedagogical approaches used by Maltese Chemistry teachers at the secondary school level. Additionally, their views and attitudes towards teaching the subject were explored, including the opportunities and challenges encountered in the classroom. Student-centred (SC) pedagogies have been repeatedly linked with deeper learning and an improved interest in science. For example, Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) actively engages students in the thinking and learning process through real-life tasks and problems. The Context-Based Approach (CBA) uses a real-life context as the starting point for the topic or lesson to orientate and motivate students and goes beyond providing examples as illustrations or applications [2]. These teaching methods do not only develop students' understanding but also enhance students' attitudes towards science [3]. As in other European countries, the chemistry curriculum and the pedagogical approaches used in the chemistry classroom in Malta are mainly traditional and limited to knowledge transmission [1],[4]. Moreover, the current chemistry syllabus at the secondary level (SEC) is abstract; one that promotes memorization and is not pertinent to students' everyday lives [1],[4]. A mixed methods research design was adopted during the study. An online survey and semi-structured individual interviews carried out with five different teachers from different schools were used to generate data. Results demonstrated that the teachers' methods of instruction are significantly influenced by their personal beliefs on teaching chemistry, as well as on how their pedagogical approaches affect their students' learning. Although the collected data showed evidence of teachers' knowledge and use of SC pedagogies, it was revealed that teacher-centred approaches remain widely used in the Maltese chemistry classroom. The Chemistry teachers were particularly concerned about the abstract and content-laden SEC Chemistry syllabus and the issue of assessment, where Malta's examination system mainly encourages educators to teach to the test.