Exploring Indian secondary teachers' orientations and practice for teaching science in an era of reform

In 2005 India introduced a new National Curriculum Framework aimed at providing a more constructivist approach to learning for all subjects. Previous research on the impact of curriculum reform in other countries (e.g., United States) concluded that for reform to be successful teachers' orientations toward teaching and learning must be considered early on. The purpose of our study was to heed this advice and initiate an exploration into Indian secondary science teachers' science teaching orientations by examining the orientations of two secondary science teachers and how they are reflected in their practice. Three questions guided our study: (1) What are the two Indian Secondary Science teachers' orientations toward teaching and learning of science? (2) To what extent are their orientations consistent with their practice? (3) In what ways, if at all, do their orientations and practice align with the goals of reform outlined in India's National Curriculum Framework? Data sources included semi‐structured interviews, classroom observations, and various artifacts. We found the teachers' orientations aligned with the goals of reform, but their classroom practice did not align with their orientations or the goals of reform, perhaps as a result of the many external constraints the teachers' felt were placed on them. From these findings we discuss implications for professional development that consider alignment for all three components while taking into account possible culture specific hindrances. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 624–647, 2011