Ethnoscience-based discovery learning for enhancing scientific literacy of preservice primary school teachers

Abstract

This study proposed and tested an ethnoscience-based discovery learning model to enhance the scientific literacy of preservice primary school teachers in a science practicum course. The study used an instructional design based on Plomp's model, which comprised four stages of instructional design: preliminary analysis, prototype development, formative evaluation, and implementation testing. Expert validation, a small-group trial (n = 20), the main implementation (n = 57), and limited dissemination (n = 34) were used. This model consists of six learning phases: stimulation, formulation of the problem, data collection, culturally scientific processing, verification, and generalization. Some examples of learning tools were a model book, semester lesson plan, lecturer book, student book, multimedia, learning media, and a scientific literacy assessment instrument. Expert validation was conducted using a questionnaire, with a high validity value of 3.91. Practicality improved from 3.59 in the first trial to 3.96 after formative revision. Scientific literacy outcomes showed consistent improvement across phases, with normalized gain values ranging from 0.67 to 0.74. A paired-samples t-test confirmed significant within-group improvement in the main implementation phase, t(56) = 53.24, p < .001, Cohen's dz = 7.05. Findings suggest that ethnoscience integration within discovery learning can function as an epistemic bridge between local knowledge and scientific concepts. The model shows potential for preservice teacher education, particularly in strengthening contextual inquiry and evidence-based reasoning. However, because no control group was used, the results should be interpreted as developmental and implementation-based evidence rather than causal superiority.