Perceptions of science in one-teacher schools

Abstract

Science in rural and remote schools has received unenviable press around the world. The political and administrative spotlight has fallen on the inadequate physical resources available to rural schools (Hawkes, Halverson and Brockmueller, 2002), inadequate professional development (Howley, Chadwick and Howley, 2002), and the problems maintaining laboratories and computer-based resources (Lyons, Cooksey, Panizzon, Parnell, and Pegg, 2006). Even the advantage of smaller class sizes can negatively affect the delivery of science when senior sciences are more commonly taught in composite classes (Lyons et al, 2006).