A survey of British primary school teachers’ understanding of the Earth's place in the universe

Abstract

This paper reports the results of research carried out in 1992 into primary school teachers’ understanding of one strand of the science National Curriculum for England and Wales, namely The Earth's place in the universe. Based on the findings of an earlier small‐scale interview study, a questionnaire was designed covering (a) observations of the sky (Sun, Moon, stars and planets), (b) explanations for day and night, seasons and the phases of the Moon, (c) the scale of the solar system and (d) the solar system and the universe. The questionnaire was given to a sample consisting of 66 practising teachers and 54 graduates who had just completed their one‐year teacher training course. Responses to each part of the questionnaire are reported in detail. Findings are interpreted in terms of a three‐stage analytical framework (the Sun/Earth system, the solar system and the universe) representing a scientific understanding of this topic. Each of these three stages is defined in terms of a number of sub‐concepts which, it is suggested, primary school teachers need to understand if they are to teach the National Curriculum adequately. The principal finding is that there is a mismatch between primary teachers’ existing understanding and the requirements of the National Curriculum in this area. An analysis of teachers’ understanding is presented for each of the sub‐concepts, and in terms of the framework as a whole. Some of the implications of the results, and the future needs of teachers, are discussed.