Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 17, Issue 2, Article 10 (Dec., 2016) Jacquie L BAY, Fehi FEHOKO, Mumui LA’AKULU, Ofa LEOTA, Lesieli PULOTU, Sina TU'IPULOTU, Salesi TUTOE, Oliveti TOVO, ‘Ana VEIKOSO, and ‘Emeli H POUVALU Questioning in Tongan science classrooms: A pilot study to identify current practice, barriers and facilitators Contents Next

Questioning in Tongan science classrooms: A pilot study to identify current practice, barriers and facilitators

 

Jacquie L BAY^1*, Fehi FEHOKO², Mumui LA’AKULU³, Ofa LEOTA², Lesieli PULOTU⁴, Sina TU'IPULOTU³, Salesi TUTOE⁴, Oliveti TOVO⁴, ‘Ana VEIKOSO⁴, ‘Emeli H POUVALU⁵

¹Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

²Tonga High School, Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, TONGA

³Tonga Side School, Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, TONGA

⁴Kolisi Tonga ‘Atele, Funga Manamo’ui, Ha’ateiho, Tongatapu, TONGA

⁵Independent education consultant, Tonga (Ministry of Education and Training, Tonga at the time of the study)

*Corresponding author on behalf of the Pacific Science for Health Literacy Project, Tonga Team.

E-mail: j.bay@auckland.ac.nz

Received 21 Jun., 2016
Revised 26 Nov., 2016

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Contents

• Abstract
• Introduction
  • The role of questioning in the development of scientific literacy
  • Questioning in Tongan Science Classrooms
• Purpose
• Methods
  • Study Design: Talanoa-based participatory action research
  • Setting and Participants
  • Data Collection
  • Data Analysis
• Findings and Discussion
  • Characterization of questions used by teachers in Form 1 and 2 science classes
  • Barriers and Facilitators
  • The impact of teachers as researchers
  • Limitations
• Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
• References

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Abstract

Questioning is central to the development of scientific and health literacies. In exploring this concept, Tongan science teachers hypothesized that their ability to use and encourage questioning presented challenges in the context of Tongan social and cultural norms. This study set out to develop a peer-to-peer protocol to enable teachers to characterize current practice, and identify barriers and facilitators to the use of questioning in Tongan science classrooms. Participating teachers co-constructed a peer-to-peer observation protocol, collected, anonymized and analyzed observational data to identify current use, enablers and facilitators of questioning in their classrooms. Findings suggest that peer observation and talanoa (collective critical discussion) enabled teachers to characterize and critique their current practice, and increased teacher understanding of the process of questioning and its value in the development of scientific and health literacy. Three hypotheses were developed to explore potential strategies to increase the use questions in Tongan science classrooms.

Keywords: Questioning, scientific literacy; talanoa; Tongan science classrooms