Diagnosis of training needs of teachers of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, in disciplinary, pedagogical areas, and use of technologies to promote scientific thinking skills

Abstract

This study aims to better understand training secondary and high school teachers require to develop scientific thinking skills in the areas of natural science (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) and Mathematics. The study focuses on teachers of these disciplinary areas from public schools with an academic curriculum of the Heredia District of Education in Costa Rica. The study worked with 72 teachers of Mathematics and 88 teachers of natural sciences. The research used a naturalistic paradigm. The experimental design used a dominant qualitative approach, combined with a phenomenological study type. The study developed a questionnaire-type instrument to gather the information needed. This instrument consisted of a total of 12 questions in the following areas: pedagogical knowledge and use of technologies, and exploration of the degree of interest that teaching staff has in receiving training in disciplinary knowledge. The five categories used to analyze the teachers' answers to the instrument were the following: general aspects of the practicing teacher, training interests in the disciplinary and pedagogical field, use of technologies, and challenges expressed by the teaching staff. Among the main findings of the study, the interest of the teaching staff to participate in updating processes in topics such as planning, mediation, and evaluation was evident, as well as training in the use of information and communication technologies. Also, it was determined that training in disciplinary areas should focus on the design of mediation strategies that allow the contents of the programs to be covered in an interdisciplinary and contextualized way. The teachers also showed interest in receiving training related to the design of evaluative processes that allow giving appropriate feedback to students, in terms of the degree of appropriation of scientific and mathematical thinking skills.