Conceptual Understanding of Science by Teachers for Uganda’s Economic Growth
Keywords:
Conceptual Understanding of Science, Economic Growth, TeachersAbstract
Purpose: Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have been identified to be the important competencies needed by a country for the twenty-first century skills for economic growth. A critical question addressed in this paper concerns the conceptual understanding of science by the teachers of Uganda. This conceptual inquiry is important to position the teaching of science to be a vehicle for the economic growth of Uganda.
Methodology: We carried out a survey using a random sample of one hundred teachers around Kampala and listed their responses to the questions “what is science?” and “what is mathematics?” The answers are compared to the reviewed “science”, “mathematics” and the “scientific method” and it is established that the Uganda teachers lack the conceptual understanding of science and mathematics.
Results: Using the triangulation method, we generate the definition of science out of the collected definitions which tallies with the “scientific method”.
Recommendation: We recommend that teachers are grounded in the understanding of the practice of science in their teaching of science and mathematics to promote economic growth.
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