‘Better learning’

The Learning in Science Project (Teacher Development) at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, is investigating the teacher development required for teachers to implement the findings of the previous Learning in Science Projects in their classrooms. This paper documents some early findings of the research on one factor that helped teachers change their classroom activities and their ideas about teaching and learning. Despite the difficulties in using a new teaching approach, the teachers reported that they were encouraged to keep on changing as ‘better learning’ was occurring. Better learning was viewed by the teachers in terms of better learning conditions and better learning outcomes.