International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

Malaysian teacher trainees' practices on science and the relevance of science education
for sustainability
Subadrah Madhawa Nair, Abdul Rashid Mohamed, Nagamah Marimuthu,
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Relevance of
Malaysian teacher trainees’ science education
practices on science and the
relevance of science education for
71
sustainability
Received 26 May 2011
Subadrah Madhawa Nair, Abdul Rashid Mohamed and Revised 29 July 2011
Nagamah Marimuthu Accepted 3 November 2011
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School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the practice of teacher trainees on science and
the relevance of science education. The study focuses on teacher trainees’ practice on science teaching
and its relevance to understanding science education.
Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a survey method using questionnaires.
The samples consist of 80 teacher trainees, majoring in Science Education, from a teachers training
institute in Malaysia. The teacher trainees were asked to complete a set of questionnaires on the
relevance of their content knowledge of science to Science Education, application of student’s home
culture in classroom science and in infusing moral education in classroom lessons. The data obtained
from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistical and inferential statistical
(independent samples t-test).
Findings – The results showed that the female trainees’ practice of science and the relevance of
science education is significantly higher than that of their male counterparts. Besides that, the findings
indicate that there is no significant difference between the male and female trainees on their practices
of students’ home culture applied in classroom science and applying moral education in teaching
science. The findings also indicated there is a need to bring in students’ home culture into the teaching
and learning of science.
Practical implications – Findings of this paper suggest one approach that could be adopted to
make science education more relevant to the students understanding is by incorporating teaching
strategies that are designed to promote content learning through a cultural relevant curriculum. This
will make schools a better place to inculcate environmental concerns for a sustainable future.
Originality/value – This paper highlights the need to educate trainee teachers (male and female)
and bring them closer to gain cooperation and commitment to achieve sustainability. The paper also
proposes the need to bring in students’ home culture, priorities and concern into the teaching and
learning of science.
Keywords Teacher trainees, Home culture, Moral education, Classroom science, Sustainability,
Malaysia, Education, Teaching
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
Teacher education institutions play a key role in transforming education and society for a
sustainable future (UNESCO, 2005). Studies by Mageswary et al. (2008), and McKeon and International Journal of Sustainability
Hopkins (2002) also stressed on the role of teachers in building a sustainable society. in Higher Education
Vol. 14 No. 1, 2013
According to Brickhouse et al. (2000), classroom teaching must be based on the pp. 71-89
understanding of the views of the students. Learning science too needs much more than q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1467-6370
mere correct explanations on what students have to learn. Teachers need to know how DOI 10.1108/14676371311288967
 IJSHE students engage in science and how their school science lessons relate to their daily lives.
14,1 Schreiner (2006) has asserted that the era we now live in is characterized by influences at
the global, societal and individual levels. It is obvious that the spirit, the values and the
ideas of a culture have major effects on how our students see themselves, their
surroundings and the world. Thus, issues of culture and world view and their impact on
learning have become increasingly important to teachers. Banks (1994), suggested
72 pedagogy that makes “maximum use of [. . .] local community resources” (p. 310), makes
the best use of science content. Generally, students’ inheritance of cultural knowledge from
their families and backgrounds help them to develop their identities and their lives.
Moje et al. (2001) asserts, students develop positive attitude and awareness if teachers are
able to show the connection between student’s daily life experiences with science
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discourses in the classroom. Ramsden (1988) also stressed that student learning should be
linked to students’ previous experiences, their approaches in learning, and the outcome of
their learning. Students learn better when new ideas and concepts are related to their
everyday experience and culture. So, it is a good time to rethink the science curriculum,
how to teach-study-learn science, and to see the relevance of science and learning science.
This study focuses on teacher trainees’ practices on science teaching and its
relevance to understand the science education. Science teaching must be based on
knowledge about students’ home culture, values, concerns, priorities and
understanding of the students, as affirmed by Schreiner (2006).

Objective of the study

The objective of the study is to identify teacher trainees’ practice on science and the
relevance of science, application of their home culture and the infusion of moral
education in their science classroom. This study also identifies whether there is a
significant difference in the mean score of teacher trainees’ practice of science and the
relevance of science education (ROSE), application of pupils’ home culture in their
classroom science and the infusion of moral education in their science classroom
according to gender.

Research questions
The following are the research questions of the study:
RQ1. What are the views of teacher trainees of science and ROSE in their classroom
science?
RQ2. Is there any significant difference between the male and female teacher
trainees in their views of science and ROSE?
RQ3. Is there any significant difference between the male and female teacher
trainees in their views on the application of home culture in their classroom
science?
RQ4. Is there any significant difference between the views of male and female
teacher trainees on the infusion of moral education in their classroom science?.

Definition of terms
Relevance of science. In this study relevance of science education refers to the ability of
the teacher trainees to relate the science curriculum to pupils’ daily lives. The relevance
 of science education is measured with ROSE questionnaires developed by Schreiner Relevance of
(2006) and adapted to Malaysian context. science education
Application of home culture. In this context application of home culture refers to the
ability of teacher trainees to link science curriculum to pupils’ various ethnic cultures
such as heritage, values and tradition. Application of home culture is also measured using
ROSE questionnaires developed by Schreiner (2006) and adapted to Malaysian context.
Infusion of moral education. For this study infusion of moral education refers to the 73
ability of teacher trainees to integrate moral values (ethics and environment friendly
practices) in the science curriculum for a sustainable future. Infusion of moral
education is measured using ROSE questionnaires developed by Schreiner (2006) and
adapted to Malaysian context.
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Literature review
This section focuses on social-cultural theory, education for sustainable development,
teaching science for sustainability, students’ culture and science knowledge, gender
awareness on sustainability, and environment related studies in Malaysia.

Socio-cultural model and sustainable education

Carsaniga (2000) stressed that most scientists agreed valid knowledge is identified only
with science. Ogawa (1999) defines this ideology as scientism: scientism has two major
attributes that are unconditional belief in science, a view mainly held and authorized
by scientists. They unconsciously force general public in any cultural setting to accept
and share uncritical conviction of valuing application of science into life-world settings,
originating in the Western traditional value system.
Ogawa (1986) proposed a model for a rationale of science education that could deal
with the interaction of traditional culture and western culture. Ogawa’s (1986) model
summarizes that science education should be viewed within the context of the students’
traditional culture.
Ogunniyi (1988, p. 6) in his study, states that “science is based on a mechanistic
explanatory model, while the traditional world view is based on an anthropomorphic
explanatory model”. He argued that more studies should be done to determine the
traditional view of various cultures and determine areas of shared understanding. With
this shared understanding as a basis, and with an understanding of potential conflict,
the science education curriculum could then be determined for a sustainable education.

Education for sustainable development

In addressing the goals of sustainability, the role of science education is crucial. The
scientific knowledge and appropriate technologies are central to resolving the
economic, social and environmental problems that make current development paths
unsustainable. The “Declaration on science and the use of scientific knowledge”
adopted by the World Conference on Science (WCS, 1999) affirms that scientific
knowledge has led to remarkable innovations that have brought great benefit to
human kind. In para 1 of the Declaration it is stated:
Science should be at the service of humanity as a whole, and should contribute to providing
everyone with a deeper understanding of nature and society, a better quality of life and a
sustainable and healthy environment for present and future generations (WCS, 1999,
Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge, para 1).
 IJSHE Man’s common goal is to improve the quality of life for living today and for future
14,1 generations, to ensure their social, economic, and personal well-being with guarantees
of fundamental human rights; and to allow them to live harmoniously in a protected
environment. This goal can be achieved by undertaking the requisite social change.
Sachs (2005, pp. 366-7) highlights the importance of global science that empowers
technological advances and investing in global sustainability. The scientific
74 knowledge and appropriate technologies are anticipated in removing many
constraints on improving human welfare worldwide, finding substitutes for wasteful
practices, and protecting the natural environment (ICSU, 2002).
It is no exaggeration to assert that without science, there can be no improvement in
human development. For many of today’s major environment and development
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concerns, the sciences including the social and human sciences, are essential in detecting
and analyzing the problems, in identifying solutions and in ensuring scientifically sound
action. There has been an increased recognition of the importance of science and a
considerable increase in planning and coordination to provide the scientific basis for a
sustainable future. Scientific illiteracy remains a major impediment for a better
understanding of the environment and environmental problems and for ensuring full
participation of the public at large in finding and supporting solutions to the problems
(United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – UNCED, 1997).
Environmental Concerns Coalition Blog since 1995 stressed that scientific knowledge
is a necessity to improve the prudent management of environment-development
interactions in order to provide for both the daily needs and the future development of
humanity (ECC, 2011). Scientific illiteracy remains a major impediment to bring about a
fuller appreciation of the complex issues of the environment and development. Literacy
in science has become a necessity to achieve a satisfactory way of life in the modern
world and to participate actively in the pursuit of sustainable development.
While there has been growing international recognition of the role of the sciences for
sustainable human development, there has not been an equivalent increase in support
at the national level. In many countries, there is still a lack of clearly defined national
strategies, policies and plans for the purpose of ensuring the development of scientific
capacity for the benefit of a sustainable future, the management of science, the
integration of science in national education development plans and national
participation in high-priority international scientific endeavors. Science education, in
the larger sense of the term, should be reinforced in all school curricula and at all levels
of society.

Teaching of science for sustainability

Agenda 21, a blue print for action towards sustainable development for the twenty-first
century was conventionalized in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 during the UNCED. It is a plan
to achieve a sustainable society in this environmentally, economically and socially
inequitable world. Chapter 36 of agenda 21 stresses that education, including formal
and non formal education and public awareness and training should be recognized as a
process by which human beings and societies can reach their fullest potential
(Malaysian Country Profile, 2002).
On the contrary, The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in
Johannesburg in 2002, in the tenth review of Agenda 21, revealed that the goal laid out in
Rio was still a long way from becoming reality (WSSD, 2002). There was clearly a need to
 rethink education for sustainable development. As the concept of sustainable development Relevance of
was discussed and formulated, it became apparent that education is key to sustainability. science education
The natural sciences provide important abstract knowledge of the world but, of
themselves, do not contribute to sustainable development. Hence, according to Fien
(2001), an important aspect of re-orienting formal education towards sustainability will
be the development of interdisciplinary curricula which successfully impart scientific
and technological knowledge whilst, simultaneously, emphasizing the essentially 75
social nature of decision and about how such knowledge is used.
A number of studies have shown that teaching and learning activities in developing
countries are usually teacher-centered, place less emphasis on learning for understanding,
and provide fewer opportunities for students to take responsibility for their own learning.
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The primary aim is for students to pass external examinations, and learning in such
environments involved low-level cognitive approaches such as rote learning (Maddock,
1981; Waldrip and Taylor, 1995). The most sophisticated view of knowledge available to us
today, according to Lemke (2001), is a falsification of the nature of science to teach concepts
outside of their social, economic, historical, and technological contexts. Concepts taught in
this way are relatively useless in life, however well they may seem to be understood in a test.
Rahman (2000) suggested that the content of science needs to be reoriented to
develop better understanding and knowledge for more sustainable decision making.
The Belgrade and Tbilisi international agreements (UNESCO-UNEP, 1976, 1978)
encourage teachers to use a broad range of teaching and learning techniques
emphasizing practical activities and first hand experience.

Students’ culture and scientific knowledge

The science education research illustrates that many problems arise even between the
subcultures of students and school science, and they are indicators that a greater
dissonance can exist between cultures, particularly where the worldviews are substantially
different. When dealing with peoples from other cultures, these “worlds” can be replaced by
much broader cultural differences or worldview. Worldview provides a non-rational
foundation for thought, emotion and behavior, providing a person with the presuppositions
of what the world is really like and what constitutes valid and important knowledge about
the world (Cobern, 1996). It is how people see the world. Where two worldviews differ
substantially, the abilities of people to make transitions between them need to be managed
at best, but for many people such transitions will be hazardous or virtually impossible.
Phelan et al. (1991) identified students’ subcultures of family, school and peer worlds,
the interrelationships between them, and, in particular, how meanings and
understandings combine to affect students’ engagement with learning. They also tried
to understand students’ perceptions of the boundaries between worlds and adaptation
strategies they employ as they move from one context to another. They suggested that
boundaries or borders refer to real or perceived lines or barriers between the subcultures
and identified four patterns of students being able to move between subcultures.
Subsequently, Aikenhead and Jegede (1999) used the metaphor of international travel to
demonstrate cultural borders and border crossings. To facilitate cross-cultural
transitions, one can take on the role of culture broker. The role of culture or cultural
broker has received little attention in the research, although it has been used (in one form
or another) in health, education, business and tourism (both terms are used in the
literature without any apparent distinction). Jezewski (Jezewski and Sotnik, 2001) defined
 IJSHE culture broking as “the act of bridging, linking or mediating between groups or persons of
14,1 differing cultural backgrounds for the purpose of reducing conflict or producing change”.
These science curricula attempt to culture students into the value system of Western
science. Enculturation is not a problem for a small minority of students whose worldviews
resonate with the scientific worldview conveyed most frequently in school science
(Cobern and Aikenhead, 1998). For the vast majority of students, however, enculturation
76 into Western science is experienced as an attempt at assimilation into a foreign culture.
Aikenhead (1996) claims that, generally students reject assimilation into the culture of
Western science. They tend to become alienated from Western science in spite of it being a
major global influence on their lives. Alienation reduces their effectiveness at “legitimate
peripheral participation” in community matters related to science and technology
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(Roth and McGinn, 1997). Alienated students will not possess the cultural capital to
participate effectively in Western society when they grow into adulthood.
Ogawa (1986) proposed a model for a rationale of science education that could deal with
the interaction of traditional culture and western culture. The model can be summarized
as science should be viewed in a cultural context and, consequently, be revitalized and
science as a culture should be seen within the context of the students’ traditional culture.
He claims (Ogawa, 1999) school science as a foreign culture to the local students, and refers
to Aikenhead’s (1996, 1997) metaphor of the “cultural border crossing” in picturing the
student from a non-Western background taking part in the process of learning modern
science. According to his view, each culture has its own “personal” science and that it is
difficult for some students to “cross” to the closed culture of modern science.
“Science is based on a mechanistic explanatory model, while the traditional world
view is based on an anthropomorphic explanatory model” (Ogunniyi, 1988, p. 6).
He claims that further studies should be attempted to determine the traditional view of
various cultures and determine areas of shared understanding. With this shared
understanding as a basis, and with an understanding of potential conflict, the science
education curriculum could then be determined.
Jegede (1994) in his studies about Africa commented that the best way to improve
science education is by involving the application of situated learning with sensitivity to
local culture, to facilitate learning science as understood in western society. His studies
included generating information about the African environment to explain natural
phenomena; identifying and using indigenous scientific and technological principles,
theories and concepts within the African society; and teaching the values of the typical
African humane feelings in relation to, and in the practice of, technology as a human
enterprise (Jegede, 1994, p. 130).
Education is a socially transforming process that gives people knowledge, skills,
perspectives, and values through which they can participate in and contribute to their
own well-being and that of their community and nation. Keating (1993) views
education as helping to provide the means to build the knowledge, skills, values and
behaviors necessary for individuals, communities and nations to generate sustainable
futures. Therefore, communities must choose culturally appropriate and locally
relevant sustainability goals that reflect their current and future life conditions and
needs. With time, major guiding principles selected for the curriculum will become
infused into local worldviews.
However, in the past few decades, as pointed out by Cobern and Aikenhead (1998),
views on learning science have shifted from earlier psychological perspectives on
 the individual learner to encompass sociological perspectives that contextualized Relevance of
learning in social settings. Many researchers in science education today, believe that science education
the cultural background of a learner plays a central role in learning. A science
curriculum must properly interact with local experiences (ICSU, 2002).
Boyden (2004, p. 181) defines culture as, “an abstract aspect of human situation which
include accumulated knowledge, beliefs, assumptions, values and technical knowledge,
and which are passed from one individual to another, from one group to another, and 77
from generation to generation, mainly through the use of learned symbols, as in speech
and writing”. On the other hand, Phelan et al. (1991) conceptualized culture as the norms,
values, beliefs, expectations, and conventional actions of a group. Nieto (1999, p. 48)
incorporated the ideas present in many of the definitions as “the ever-changing values,
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traditions, social and political relationships, and worldview created, shared and
transformed by a group of people bound together by a number of factors that can include
a common history, geographical location, language, social class, and religion”.
Science education research is beginning to document cases of cultural dilemma and
even cultural dysfunction where local students learning about Western science and
culture in schools have difficulty in equating it with their traditional belief systems.
However, this is not always the case and there appears to be an accommodative
mechanism for the conceptual resolution of potentially conflicting tenets within a
person’s cognitive structure. Jegede (1995) calls this collateral learning and suggesting
it as a desirable state in non-Western students learning science. The study of Western
science requires the student to have some understanding of the approaches Western
science adopts in order to understand and explain the universe, specifically through
theories, models, and laws. Situations of potential conflict arise when there are
differences in worldview (Jegede, 1995).

Gender awareness on sustainability

There are numerous studies on environmental attitudes and awareness conducted on
gender variable (McStay and Dunlap, 1983; Mohai, 1992; Davidson and Freudenburg,
1996; Shiva, 2002; Schreiner, 2006; Schreiner and Sjøberg, 2005). Most studies reported
that women have higher levels of environmental concern than men but women are less
environmentally active than men (Mohai, 1992). Research by Stern et al. (1993), Xiao and
Dunlap (2007) showed that males have more positive attitude and are more concern
about environment compared to females. Studies by Cakir et al. (2009) to determine the
attitude of university students, showed that female students were much more concerned
about environmental issues compared with the male students (n ¼ 158, t ¼ 2.63,
df ¼ 156, p ¼ 0.009). As such the effect of gender on sustainability is inconsistent.
According to Gardner (1985), boys are more likely to study science with a career in
mind, while girls learn science for the intrinsic value. But, Ramsden (1998) claims that
boys are found to be more positive than girls in showing interest in science as one
integrated subject. This shows that there is disharmony between genders in perception,
opinion and action to secure a diverse, healthy and resilient natural environment.
Several studies of young people’s educational choices have found that subject interest
is a key criterion (Angell et al., 2003; Lindahl, 2003). Hence, Illeris et al. (2002) argue that
those working with young people and education in modern societies need to understand
that education is continuously evaluated against how the subject contributes to students’
self-development. A study based on Norwegian youths’ orientations towards science
 IJSHE clarify that students want their future to be meaningful, to harmonise with their identity
14,1 and be able to bring about self-realisation and self-development (Schreiner, 2006).

Environment related studies in Malaysian schools

Some of the studies done with Malaysian students and teachers related to
environmental problems show that Malaysian students and teachers generally lack
78 interest, knowledge, skills, attitude and awareness in environmental-related issues,
though there are “mixed” responses in practicing sustainability in their daily lives. Lim
(2003) claims that in the Malaysian school curriculum, environmental education (EE) is
treated as just one more academic theme or topic for students to study, with no real
connection to their real life experiences. A study by Jayatilaka (1982) revealed that
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students felt their role in minimizing environmental problems was neglected in their
studies at school.
Hadi (2002) conducted a study on the level of knowledge, practice and attitude of
secondary school students towards EE. His study showed that the knowledge and
attitude of students towards EE are at a higher level (compute mean 3.67). but their
practising of EE is at a “moderate” level (mean range: . 2.5 to , 3.5). Another study by
Azizi et al. (2003) about environmental awareness and attitude among
secondary school students in Langkawi showed that although students’ level of
environmental knowledge was high, they only had a moderate attitude and awareness
towards EE.
A study by Mageswary et al. (2006) on the level of environmental awareness among
pre-service teachers showed that they possessed high levels of environmental awareness.
However, they failed to act on the emerging environmental problems. They were fairly
reluctant to change their personal life-styles and commit actions to protect the environment.
Aikenhead (1996) believed that for situations involving managed border crossings,
teachers needed to take on the role of a culture broker. Diamond and Maddock (1981)
identified three roles of teachers as they create “the culture of the classroom and invite
students to co-participate in this effort. Teachers are required to be cultural organizers,
cultural mediators and orchestrators of social contexts” to bring in cultural relevant
curriculum in teaching science for better understanding of science education for the
students. As a cultural organizer a teacher is capable of facilitating strategic ways of
accomplishing tasks so that the learning process involves varied ways of knowing,
experiencing, thinking and behaving. A cultural mediator is competent at creating
opportunities for critical dialogue and behaviour. By being an orchestrator of social
contexts, a teacher provides several learning configurations including “interpersonal
and intrapersonal opportunities for seeking, accessing, and evaluating knowledge”
(Diamond and Moore, 1995, p. 35).
Therefore, the science teachers play a vital role in incorporating the relevance of
science in students’ daily lives, encouraging students to explore their home culture to
understand science and infusing moral values in their classroom science. Being a
multiracial country, Malaysia is rich in the home culture of the various races such as
the Malays, Chinese, Indians and the indigenous people in Sabah and Sarawak.
Unfortunately in our Malaysian Science Curriculum for secondary schools, there is no
room to incorporate students’ traditional culture in their science classroom. Students
are not encouraged to explore their home culture. Ausubel (1963) asserted that,
“Meaningful learning involves the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into
 existing cognitive structures”. As such learning of science will be more meaningful if Relevance of
students’ home culture and traditional culture are infused into their science lessons. science education
Methodology
A survey method of information gathering was selected to identify and investigate
teacher trainees’ views of science and ROSE, application of the students’ home culture
in their classroom science and infusing moral education in their classroom. 79

Sample
The survey involved 80 teacher trainees (47 female and 33 males) majoring in science
education at a teachers training institution in Penang, Malaysia. The trainees were asked
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to complete a set questionnaire on their practices relating to their content knowledge of

science and its relevance to science education, application of students’ home culture in
their classroom science and infusing moral education in their classroom science.

Research instrument
A questionnaires comprising 37 items was used as the instrument to gather information
concerning trainees’ teaching practices in the classroom behavior to incorporate
strategies designed to promote content learning through culturally relevant curriculum.
The questionnaires were distributed by the researchers to the teacher trainees after their
teaching practice in schools. The questionnaires consists of three sections; Section A
comprising 14 items to gauge the practices of the teacher trainees on science and ROSE.
Section B comprising nine items to gauge the teacher trainees’ application of students’
home culture in their classroom science and section C comprising 14 items to gauge the
practices of the teacher trainees on infusing moral education in their classroom lessons.
The researchers modified the questionnaire which was based on ROSE (Schreiner,
2006) to cater to the needs of this study in the context of teacher trainees. The score for
each response in the questionnaire was in the range of 1 to 4 (on the Likert Scale).
Following this scale, a score of 4 refers to the choice to mean strongly agree and a score
of 1 to mean strongly disagree for all positive statements. For negative statements, the
point values were reversed. Therefore, items 2,3,8,9,10,25,36 and 37 which are negative
statements will comply to this rule where a score of 1 will mean a choice of strongly
agree and a score of 4 to mean strongly disagree (Table I).

Method of data analysis

In this study the data that was collected was processed using the Statistical Packages for
the Social Science (SPSS) Windows Version 11.5. The process to analyze the data involved

Positive
1,4,5,6,7,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,
Statements 23,24,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35 Negative2,3,8,9,10,25,36,37

Strongly agree 4 1
Agree 3 2 Table I.
Disagree 2 3 Illustration of the positive
Strongly disagree 1 4 and negative statements
 IJSHE the use of descriptive statistics and t-test. The descriptive statistics used consists of the
mean scores achieved for each dependent variable namely teacher trainees’ practices on:
14,1
. science and relevance of science;
. applying students’ home culture in their classroom science; and
.
applying moral education in their classroom science.
80
Limitation of the study
The limitations of the study are as follows:
. This study is only conducted among teacher trainees in a teachers training
institute in Penang, Malaysia as such the findings can only be generalized to
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samples with similar characteristics.

.
The researchers also focus on gender differences, other variables like race,
economic status of the family and the parents’ education are not taken into
consideration.
.
This study only focuses on teacher trainees’ practices on science and relevance
of science, applying students’ home culture and moral education in their
classroom science. Other aspects such as environmental challenges and opinions
about science and technology are not included in the study.

Findings and discussion

The following are the findings and the discussion of the study based on the research
questions:
RQ1. What are the views of teacher trainees on science and the relevance of science,
application of students’ home culture in their classroom science and in
infusing moral education in their classroom science?
Table II shows the teacher trainees’ practice on science and the relevance of science in
students’ daily lives. The average mean of the teacher trainees practice on science and
the relevance of science is only 2.87 and the SD is 0.635. Only 28 (35 percent) of the
teacher trainees strongly agree and agree with practice on science and the relevance of
science in their daily lives whereas 52 (65 percent) of them disagree and strongly
disagree with it. Reiss (2000) conducted a long-term study of how students’ attitudes
towards science develop. He concluded that in general, students did not find school
science to be relevant in their lives (Reiss, 2000). The present study supports the
findings by Reiss that in general students disagree with the relevance of science in
their daily lives. These findings confirm that majority of the teacher trainees disagree
and strongly disagree on the relevance of science in students’ daily lives.
Table III shows the overall teacher trainees’ practice on the application of students’
home culture in their classroom science. The overall mean of the teacher trainees in the
application of students’ home culture in their classroom science is 2.98 and the overall
SD is 0.528. Overall, 67 (84 percent) of the trainee teachers strongly agree and agree
with the application of students home culture in their classroom science and only
13 (16 percent) of the trainee teachers strongly disagree or disagree with it. This
findings contradict Aikenhead’s (1996) claim that generally students reject
assimilation into the culture of Western science but support the notion by
Hart (2005) who suggested that culture and situated ethics as a new paradigm
 Relevance of
n (%) n (%)
No. Item Mean SD SA&A SD&D science education
1 All science knowledge is formulated within a particular 2.68 0.671 57 (71) 23 (29)
social context
2 There is always a conflict in relationship between science 2.73 0.693 29 (36) 51 (64)
and religion 81
3 Students learning science is not perceived to be relevant 2.65 0.623 46 (58) 34 (42)
4 Science should be taught in its social context 2.91 0.582 64 (80) 16 (20)
5 Science teachers help students make connections between 3.14 0.568 8 (10) 72 (90)
their local, national, racial, cultural and global identities
6 Science teachers must discover the world view, values and 3.32 0.613 4 (5) 76 (75)
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dreams for the future

7 Science teachers view local culture as anti-scientific, filled 2.84 0.812 26 (33) 54 (67)
with magic and superstition rather than a tradition of
scientific thought
8 “Teachers as learners”, learn about cultural groups, 3.17 0.548 6 (7) 74 (93)
histories, heritages and international styles
9 Science teachers need to learn what can help their students 3.38 0.540 2 (2) 78 (98)
learn
10 Science teachers presume that all students are capable of 3.00 0.738 15 (19) 65 (81)
being educated
11 Science teachers should continue teaching students the 3.18 0.477 1 (1) 79 (99)
facts and theories of science, ways of solving scientific
problems and how science operates within a society
12 Science teachers have a grave responsibility to prepare 3.14 0.597 9 (11.5) 69 (88.4)
students to become effective and critical participants in the
world
13 Students tend to see the purpose of science as providing 2.08 0.664 59 (74) 21 (26)
solutions to technical problems rather than providing more
powerful explanations
14 Students rarely see science as a social enterprise. Scientists 2.08 0.757 58 (72) 22 (28)
are seen as individuals working in isolation
Table II.
Teacher trainees practice on science and the relevance of 2.87 0.635 28 (35) 52 (65)
Teacher trainees’ practice
science
on science and the
Notes: SA – Strongly agree; A – Agree; SD – Strongly disagree; D – Disagree relevance of science

in learning EE. These findings also show that there are awareness among the teacher
trainees on the importance of application of students’ home culture in their classroom
science.
Table IV shows the overall teacher trainees practice on infusing moral education in
their classroom. The overall mean of the teacher trainees’ in infusing moral education
in their classroom is 2.92 and the overall SD is 0.637. Only 18 (22 percent) of the teacher
trainees strongly disagree and disagree in infusing moral education in their classroom
science whereas 62 (78 percent) strongly agree and agree with it. This finding shows
that the majority of the teacher trainees are in favour of infusing moral education in
their classroom science:
RQ2. Is there any significant difference between the male and female teacher
trainees in their practice on science and ROSE?
 IJSHE
n (%) n (%)
14,1 No. Item Mean SD SA&A SD&D

1 Science teachers use subjects from students’ home culture as 2.88 0.509 63 (79) 17 (21)
vehicles for learning
2 The Science curriculum should reflect the cultural learning 2.99 0.566 70 (87) 10 (13)
82 styles and characteristics of the students within the community
3 Science teachers should not teach in ways that conflict with, 2.82 0.687 56 (70) 24 (30)
contradict or devalue the students’ home culture
4 Science teachers’ assessment strategies should reflect ethnic 2.86 0.545 64 (80) 16 (20)
and cultural expressions
5 Science teachers should highlight scientists from the culture of 2.89 0.595 63 (80) 17 (20)
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the students
6 Science teachers must know the culture of the students 3.03 0.477 72 (90) 8 (10)
7 Science teachers should use cultural reference to impart 2.99 0.436 72 (90) 8 (10)
knowledge, skills and attitudes
8 Science teachers see the students’ culture as valuable, 3.00 0.453 73 (91) 7 (9)
informative and as part of the curriculum
9 As science teachers acknowledge and validate the home 3.01 0.490 71 (89) 9 (11)
culture, students are less likely to drop out of school or more
likely to be successful
10 Science teachers need to be trained on how to incorporate 3.26 0.545 74 (92) 6 (8)
students’ funds of knowledge into the curriculum
11 Science teachers have knowledge of how their students’ lives 3.13 0.466 69 (86) 11 (14)
influences their practices
12 Science teachers have experiences with culturally relevant 2.92 0.483 64 (80) 16 (20)
curriculum
13 Science teachers understand and assimilate the values of 3.00 0.487 68 (85) 12 (15)
students, families, community and the school subcultures in
Table III. which they work
Teacher trainees practice 14 Science teachers’ ethnic and racial identities influence their 2.90 0.656 59 (74) 21 (26)
on the application of beliefs about the role of diversity in classrooms
students’ home culture in Teacher trainees’ practice on application of students’ home 2.98 0.528 67 (84) 13 (16)
their classroom science culture in their classroom science

Table V shows that the mean score of the female teacher trainees is higher than the
mean score of the male teacher trainees. The t-test findings show that there is a
significant difference between the mean score between the female trainees and male
trainees in their practice of science and ROSE (t ¼ 2 2.87, df ¼ 69, p ¼ 0.005), effect
size is r ¼ 0.326. According to Cohen (2011) the effect size is medium. The findings of
this study are parallel to the findings by McStay and Dunlap (1983), Mohai (1992),
Davidson and Freudenburg (1996), Shiva (2002), Schreiner (2006), and Schreiner and
Sjøberg (2005) which showed women have higher levels of environmental concern
compared with men:
RQ3. Is there any significant difference between the male and female teacher
trainees in their practice on the application of students’ home culture in their
classroom science?
Table VI shows that the mean score of the female teacher trainees is the same as the
mean score of the male teacher trainees. The t-test findings show that there is no
 Relevance of
n (%) n (%)
No. Item Mean SD SA&A SD&D science education
1 The scientific method requires in itself the fulfillment of certain 3.04 0.572 66 (82) 14 (18)
ethical norms
2 Teaching ethics make a student a better person 3.20 0.560 76 (95) 4 (5)
3 Students who apply ethics to a decision will get the right 2.76 0.579 55 (69) 25 (31) 83
answer
4 Moral teaching in science leads to a lower quality in teaching 2.98 0.693 64 (80) 16 (20)
5 Moral teaching in science decreases the time they have 2.79 0.669 56 (70) 24 (30)
available to teach science
6 Science teachers are less confident than humanities teachers 2.66 0.826 49 (61) 31 (39)
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about teaching social and ethical issues generally

7 Educational change depends on what teachers do and think 2.94 0.735 58 (72) 22 (28)
8 Science teachers’ attitudes and behavior can make an 2.99 0.606 69 (86) 11 (14)
astonishing difference in students’ learning Table IV.
9 Science teachers’ selection of pedagogical strategies reflect the 2.96 0.492 68 (85) 12 (15) Teacher trainees’ practice
cultural norms of students on infusing moral
Teacher trainees’ practice of infusing moral education in their 2.92 0.637 62 (78) 18 (22) education in their
classroom classroom science

Table V.
Comparison of mean
scores between the male
Group n Mean SD Mean difference t-value df p-value
and female teacher
Male 33 2.78 0.18 0.15 2 2.874 78 0.005 trainees in their practice
Female 47 2.93 0.25 on science and the
relevance of science
Note: Significant at: *p , 0.05 education

Table VI.
Comparison of mean
score between the male
Group n Mean SD Mean difference t-value df p-value
and female teacher
Male 33 2.97 0.25 0.0 2 0.059 78 0.953 trainees in their practice
Female 47 2.97 0.23 on the application of
students’ home culture in
Note: Significant at: *p , 0.05 their classroom science

significant difference between the mean scores of the male trainees and female trainees
in their practice of the application of students’ home culture in their classroom science
(t ¼ 2 0.06, df ¼ 79, p ¼ 0.953), effect size is r ¼ 0.007. The effect size is considered
very low (Cohen, 2011). This finding indicates that the male and female trainees are
equally aware of how students learning of science is related to their daily lives and
culture but the mean is only at an average level (2.97). As asserted by Schreiner (2006)
the spirit, the value and the ideas of cultures have major effects on how our students
see themselves, in their surroundings and the world:
RQ4. Is there any significant difference between the practice of male and female
teacher trainees on the infusion of moral education in their classroom science?
 IJSHE Table VII shows that the mean scores of the female teacher trainees is slightly higher
14,1 than the mean scores of the male teacher trainees. The t-test findings show that there is
no significant difference between the mean scores of the female trainees and male
trainees in their perception on infusing moral education in the classroom (t ¼ 2 1.45,
df ¼ 75, p ¼ 0.150), effect size is r ¼ 0.165. The effect size is considered small (Cohen,
2011). The finding indicates that both male and female trainee teachers are equally
84 aware of the importance of infusing moral education in their classroom science but the
mean for both the genders is only at an average level (male ¼ 2.85, female ¼ 2.96).

Conclusion
The results of this study show that the female teacher trainees’ practice of science and
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ROSE are significantly higher than their male counterparts. Some findings from early
studies indicate that female students are more concerned about environmental issues
compared to males (Cakir et al., 2009). On the other hand some studies indicate that
male students are more positive than female students in showing interest in science
(Ramsden, 1998). Male students are generally career orientated (Gardner, 1985), as such
emphasis should be given to male teacher trainees on how to relate sustainability to
their career particularly in the process of teaching and learning.
Findings of this study also indicate that in the context of this particular samples of
Malaysia female teacher trainees are significantly better than the males in relation to
the practice of science and ROSE in daily lives. Also in Malaysian context the females
outnumber the males in higher learning institutions, The students intake for year 2010
indicates, 64.8 percent females and only 35.2 percent males in Malaysian public higher
learning institutions (DAH Brotherhood Weblog, 2011). The obvious difference in
gender ratio indicates that the girls are performing better academically than boys. This
could be a contributing factor to why female teacher trainees have more awareness and
score higher mean than the male on practice of science and ROSE. However, most of
the trainees (65 percent) disagree or strongly disagree on the practice of science and the
relevance of science in their daily lives. This could be because at present teacher
trainees are not given enough exposure on how to relate science to pupils’ daily lives.
Hence there is a need to educate teacher trainees (male and female) and bring them
closer to gain cooperation and commitment in relating science to pupils’ daily lives in
order to achieve sustainability.
Besides that, the findings indicate that there is no significant difference between the
male and female trainees in their practice relating to the application of students’ home
culture in classroom science and the application of moral education in the teaching of
science. The means for both the genders are also only at an average level. This could be
because the school curriculum is too rigid and does not relate science to pupils’ home
culture and environment. The findings also indicate there is a need to bring in students’
Table VII. home culture, priorities and concern into the teaching and learning of science to make
Comparison of mean
scores between the male
Group n Mean SD Mean difference t-value df p-value
and female teacher
trainees in their practice Male 33 2.85 0.37 0.11 2 1.453 78 0.150
on infusing Female 47 2.96 0.28
moral education
in the classroom Note: Significant at: *p , 0.05
 learning more meaningful. One approach that could be adopted to make science Relevance of
education more relevant to students’ understanding is by incorporating teaching science education
strategies that are designed to promote content learning through a cultural relevant
curriculum. For example, the anti oxidants properties of turmeric which is commonly
used in Malaysian households should be a part of the science curriculum. Food values in
traditional vegetables of various races in Malaysia such as petai (Parkia speciosa),
murunggai (Moringa pterygosperma) and tofu (soybean curd) can also be added into the 85
curriculum. This information will make schools and institutions better in inculcating
environmental concerns for a sustainable future.
The findings of this study also indicate that both male and female teacher trainees
are aware of the importance of infusing moral values in the teaching and learning of
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science. Teachers play an important role in pupils way of thinking and the way they do
things, such as knowing why they should not buy certain items and food products
(example turtle eggs) which have negative impact on the environment. It is also timely
to include in the curriculum the importance of preserving the forest and our ecosystem
for a sustainable future.
This study was conducted among trainee teachers in a teachers training institute in
Penang state, as such the researchers would like to suggest that future research engage
teacher trainees from all the teachers training institutes in Peninsular Malaysia. In
addition future research (using similar instruments) can also be carried out among
teacher trainees in the public universities in Malaysia. This research only employ
quantitative study, it is hoped that future research will also triangulate qualitative data
to reveal a more in depth findings. Comparison can also be done between teacher
trainees among ASEAN nations on practice of science and the relevance of science,
practice relating to applying students’ home culture in classroom science and applying
moral education in teaching science education. It is hoped that the findings will yield
concrete suggestions to enhance teacher trainees’ awareness for sustainability.

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About the authors
Subadrah Madhawa Nair is an Associate Professor at the School of Educational Studies, Universiti
Sains Malaysia. She received her PhD from the Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2001.Her research
interests include curriculum studies, education for sustainable development and pedagogy.
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She has been attached to the School of Educational Studies since 1994. Subadrah Madhawa Nair is
the corresponding author and can be contacted at: subadrah@usm.my
Professor Dr Abdul Rashid Mohamed is the Dean of School of Educational Studies,
Universiti Sains Malaysia. He is also the current Chairman of the Malaysian Education Deans
Council. He read for his PhD at University of East Anglia in the area of English Language
teacher education. His research interests are in the areas of education for sustainability and
language education.
Nagamah Marimuthu is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Educational Studies,
Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her current research focuses on Indian students’ practices and their
parents’ views on the relevance of science in daily lives by incorporating Indian traditional
knowledge for sustainability.

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