Using CBAM to evaluate teachers' concerns in science literacy for human capital development at the preschool

• Main Authors: Puteh, Sharifah Nor, Abd Salam, Kamarul Azman, Jusoff, Kamaruzaman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IDOSI Publications 2011
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/37678/1/Using%20CBAM%20to%20evaluate%20teachers%27%20concerns%20in%20science%20literacy%20for%20human%20capital%20development%20at%20the%20preschool.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/37678/; https://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj14(LIIDL)2011.htm

The most important variable in human capital development is education and training. To facilitate Malaysia’s transformation into a developed nation by the year 2020, a well-educated and trained workforce with relevant knowledge and skills especially in science and technology must be prepared. The Education Development Master Plan (2001-2010) identified human capital development as a major thrust, with an emphasis on science and technology in order to produce competent, innovative and creative manpower. The purpose of this study is to evaluate teachers’ concerns in implementing science literacy among preschoolers using the newly introduced National Preschool Curriculum Standards beginning in 2010. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), was used to identify teachers’ stage of concerns (SoC), the levels of use (LoU) and the innovation configuration (IC) of the curricular change. A mixed methods approach of data collection was used in the study. This article reports a quantitative approach using the survey method involving 385 preschool teachers. Descriptive statistics namely, frequency count and mean and standard deviation were used to analyze quantitative data. Analysis of the survey data indicated a significant difference in the stage of concerns (SoC) among teachers based on location of schools (urban/rural) and academic qualifications (graduate/non-graduate). The findings of the study point to the importance of intervention programs supporting teachers to get through the curricular change as developed by relevant authorities to ensure policy success in human capital development.