Improved science education is seen as an important goal for many developing countries. The role of elementary science is of particular importance, given that research has shown a high correlation between economic growth and the time spent on elementary science education. However, the teaching of science in many developing countries is dominated by a highly traditional didactic approach that many researchers believe fails to develop the understanding of scientific concepts in learners. The project discussed in this article formed part of much wider reforms aimed at improving science education in Fiji. We report on efforts to improve teacher education in elementary science in Fiji, using an innovative teaching approach consisting of pedagogy based on a constructivist-informed view of learning. The study indicated that a constructivist-based teaching approach could be effective in supporting science learning and enhancing students' enjoyment of this subject. The findings may have implications for other science-based teacher education projects undertaken in the context of developing countries, especially when considering that this initiative will articulate with changes to the system of assessment in elementary schools. A The value of science education as a development strategy for the economic and technological modernization of developing nations is now widely acknowledged (Brown-Acquaye, 2001). Benavot (1992) has reported that the time spent on primary science correlated positively with economic growth rate for a variety of nations. At the societal level, science education has the potential to improve living conditions through addressing local problems with respect to such basic needs as clean water, sound nutrition, and personal health (Lewin, 1993). Consequently, improved science education has been placed high on the agenda of tasks to be tackled in many developing countries (Kahn, 1990). Such counties have invested heavily in school science education since the 1960s, but by the beginning of the last decade, concerns about instructional quality and student achievement were becoming acute (Lewin, 1993). Gray (1999) argues that the last few decades have seen a steady decline in the quality of science education in most developing countries.
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