Abstract:
With declining interest and engagement in science globally, examining the role of pedagogical quality in shaping primary students‘ attitudes and achievement is imperative. Science education lays the foundation for pursuing advanced study and careers, so negative early experiences deter long-term success. This study explored the influence of teaching practices‘ influence on science attitudes and performance among primary students in Liberia‘s Left Bank 2B District. An explanatory sequential approach, through a mixed method design, gathered quantitative survey data from 337 students and 20 teachers, followed by qualitative interviews with 20 head teachers. Surveys used Likert-type scales measuring pedagogy, attitudes, and influencing factors. Semi-structured interviews elicited perspectives on pedagogical effectiveness. The findings revealed that students highlighted innovative, varied teaching as the most positively impacting attitudes, while peer influences were complex. Supportive student-teacher relationships and hands-on activities also emerged as influential. Students reported minimal exposure to technology-enhanced, discussion-based, inquiry-focused science instruction. Interviews revealed prevalent direct transmission models rather than active learning and constructivist practices. Based on these findings, the study concluded that suboptimal, passive pedagogical practices appear to negatively shape primary students‘ attitudes and learning towards science in the Left Bank2B District. Also, students‘ attitudes and teacher pedagogy weakly impacted students‘ academic performance in science. Among the recommendations offered was the need for teachers to have professional development focused on hands-on, technology-integrated, and student-driven pedagogies.
