Non-science teacher's teaching science: Problems, adaptation, and anxiety

Abstract

© 2019 Author(s). This research aims to 1) study the problem of science teaching process of a non-science graduate teacher, 2) study the teacher's adaptation in teaching science, and 3) study the anxiety in teaching science. This research was the qualitative research using case study. The target group used to collect data from was a teacher who graduated with a Bachelor's degree of education in English but assigned to teach science in the 6th grade level at a small public school in suburban area in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The instrument used in the research was in-depth interview which kept details about problems, adaptation, and anxiety of the science teaching process as authentic at school. Content analysis and topic synthesis based on TPACK framework were used to analyze data and then shown with descriptive explanation. The results of the research found that 1) the teacher lacked content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) but had some but not enough technology knowledge (TK) to teach science efficiently, 2) the teacher adapted himself by studying the guide book by the publisher. He studied materials from YouTube channels to build understanding of teaching content. Direct teaching was used, especially the lecture with opening of the clip from YouTube corresponding with the content. Additionally, the teacher focused heavily on testing to assess students' learning, and 3) the teacher had a high anxiety level in content teaching, students' attitudes towards science subject, national test, and their teaching work. Therefore, the school principal and provincial education office should solve this problem by conducting professional learning community (PLC) in school and finding short training courses or online training courses such as massive open online courses (MOOC) to enhance science teaching competency for non-science teachers.