Investigating the Degree of Observing Scientific Principles in Developing the Content of the Course "Thought and Research" (TAR) in the Sixth Grade Primary School

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the degree of considering the scientific principles in developing the content of the course "Thought and Research"(henceforth TAR) in the sixth grade primary school. The method employed in this applied research was survey study and content analysis technique is used as well. The data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively (mixed method research). The population consisted of instructors, authors, experts and teachers in Isfahan and Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Provinces. A 44 individual sample of instructors and authors were selected from the population. For other groups, Random Stratified Sampling method was used and respectively 18 and 264 participants were selected. In quantitative section, 95 classes were observed and 180 participants were purposefully interviewed face to face in a semi-structured method. The data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. To determine the validity, both content and construct validities were used. KMO (in order to check the internal consistency of items) for teachers and observers questionnaires were respectively (0.907, 0.740) and questionnaires reliability in Cronbach’s alpha were respectively 0.92 and 0.76. According to the teachers and experts questionnaires, the principles of developing the content were employed were at moderate level (=3.48 & p≤0.05), and according to the observations they were employed at low level (=2.75 & p≤0.05). Therefore, it is recommended that (TAR) course should be reviewed by educational experts, especially curriculum planners, expert teachers. In addition, according to the results of investigations on scientific principles, learners, interests, cultural and regional conditions, sufficient time and facilities as well as the three learning domains the ground of its effective implementation should be provided.