Identifier	Thesis 2019
Author	Visone, Kerry F., 1976-
Title	Teacher Attitudes toward Science at the Early Childhood Level
Publisher	Central Connecticut State University
Date of Publication	2009
Resource Type	Master's Thesis
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of early childhood educators toward teaching science, while also examining the relationship between teacher attitudes toward teaching science and how much science is taught in early childhood classrooms. It also explored early childhood teacher preparation to teach science and the impact of state mandated standardized testing on the amount of science that is taught to young children. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from three groups of early childhood educators by utilizing a Likert-type scaled survey and oral interviews. Spearman's Rho correlation coefficient was used to evaluate relationships when one of the variables was represented with ordinal data, while Pearson's r was used to analyze relationships when the variables contained scale data. Measures of central tendency were used to analyze quantitative data obtained through the survey, and trends were established for qualitative data gathered through written comments on the survey and through interviews. The researcher hypothesized that this study would reveal a direct relationship between teacher attitudes toward science and the amount of science that is taught at the early childhood level. Overall, the findings did not support the researcher's hypothesis. The early childhood educators involved in this study stressed the importance of science, and they generally agreed that they enjoy and are comfortable with teaching science, regardless of their scientific background. The findings also suggest that standardized testing has little to no impact on the amount of science taught at the early childhood level. These results imply a positive trend among early childhood educators' attitudes toward teaching science, although the amount of science taught at the early childhood level continues to remain limited. Recommendations include reevaluating the amount of time allotted for teaching science to young children and professional development to improve early childhood teacher preparedness to teach science.
Subject	Teachers -- Attitudes Science -- Study and teaching (Early childhood) Science -- Attitudes
Department	Department of Teacher Education
Advisor	Howell, Maxine
Type	Text
Digital Format	application/pdf
Language	eng
OCLC number	713735005
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Teacher Attitudes toward Science at the Early Childhood Level

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