With the curricular changes taking place in teaching science, the science teachers are expected to adopt innovative methods and practices, integrating technology in classroom teaching with a view to improve quality in teaching Physical Science at secondary level. There is lacuna in the teaching of Physical Science today in secondary schools. Most of the science teachers have been following still the traditional methods of teaching Physical Science. They should take every care in the transaction of Physical Science curriculum in the schools effectively and efficiently with a view to develop in their students the scientific attitude. The current trend in science education world wide focuses on inquiry-based instruction. The students of science are expected to develop scientific thinking and reasoning. They should be encouraged to develop certain skills such as observing, inferring, classifying, predicting, measuring, questioning, interpreting and analyzing data. This is possible only when the science teachers possess positive attitude and right perceptions towards the use of innovative practices in teaching Physical Science in secondary schools. The present investigation is an attempt to explore the perceptions of secondary school teachers towards innovative practices for quality improvement in teaching Physical Science at secondary level. The researchers used a self-developed questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 500 teachers (200 Headmasters and 300 School Assistants in Physical Science) from 200 selected secondary schools located in four north coastal district of Andhra Pradesh, viz., Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipura, Manyam and Visakhapatnam using Stratified Random Sampling method. The researchers used differential and inferential statistics for analysis of data. The findings of the study revealed that the demographic variables – gender, professional qualification and teaching experience have no influence on the perceptions of teachers towards the use of innovative practices for quality improement in teaching Physical Science at secondary level. However, the location of the school has a significant positive influence on the perceptions of teachers towards the use of innovative practices in teaching Physical Science. The study suggested that the teachers should use new strategies and techniques in teaching Physical Science at secondary level in order to develop in their students the skills of enquiry, critical and creative thinking; and scientific temper. It is also suggested that the teachers need to attend professional development programmes to improve their own skills in the use of innovative practices in teaching Physical Science.

Physical Science, Innovative Practices, Perceptions, Scientific attitude