An Assessmentof Parents Practicesin Elementary Science Competitionfor an Enhanced Science Training Programto Improve Science Educationin Buck Estate Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This present study intended to assess the parents' practices in elementary science competition aimed at developing an enhanced science training program that will improve science education. This study was conducted at Buck Estate ElementarySchool. The research focused on forty parents of grades three to six pupils.

METHODS

The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire consisting of two parts. Part 1 was the parent personal information: age, highest educational attainment, economic status and the competition participated by the children. The part 2 was the provisions of parental support to the contestants in the science competition and it was organized in two categories: the attitudes of parents and the provision of materials at home which could enhance the learning of the children specifically in science. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage and weighted mean.

RESULTS

The results showed that the parents' best practices (attitudes of parents) could contribute to children success in school competitions and they were classified as always practiced (80.00%), mostly practiced (12.5%), moderately practiced (6.43%), rarely practiced (0.71%) and never practiced (.36%). For the provision of learning materials at home which could enhance the learning of the children specifically in science, the responses were classified as always provided (48.5%), mostly provided (17.5 %), moderately provided (17.0%), rarely provided (8.5%) and never provided (8.5%).

DISCUSSIONS

The study concluded that the parents' practices in an elementary science competition for an enhanced science training program have a significant effect in improving science education in Buck Estate Elementary School.