Development of Method for Improving Pre-Service Teacher Skills to Use Ethnoscience Approach in Teaching

Abstract

This study aims to develop methods to train pre-service teachers to use an ethnoscience approach to be more skilled in teaching chemistry. The study was a research and development (R&D) with five stages, namely (1) orientation; (2) preparation of a teaching plan; (3) discussion and feedback; (4) implementation of the teaching plan; and (5) evaluation of the teaching implementation. The instruments developed were the teaching plan assessment and the teaching plan implementation assessment. The results of the first trial showed that the five stages developed could be followed effectively. However, the pre-service teachers were not used to use the ethnoscience approach, so that at the discussion and feedback stage they were given more examples related to it. The second trial produced better results, with the ethnoscience approach used based on experiences in the student environment and students' direct exploration. It can be concluded that the method developed can train pre-service teachers to teach chemistry with an ethnoscience approach.