PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION IN THE 21" CENTURY Volume 6, 2008 60 TO ARDS A PROPOSAL FOR EFFECTIVE ONGOING TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS Abstract Carlos J. Furió-Más, Jordi Solbes-Matarredona & Cristina Furió-Gómez University of Valencia, Spain E-mail: Carles.Furio@uv.es This paper begins by demonstrating the need to enhance the training ofpeople who currently active teachers and presents a propasa! of ongoing training programme founded in the results of science education research. To begin with, a critica! analysis about some ofthe dominant models ofteacher traíning in which exista lack of integration between theory and practíce is carríed out. Next, the hypothesis that the e.ffective .formation programs are those that have as objective to .facilitate the teacher s immersion in the investigation and innova- fían in science education is developed. In addition. in this programs a group o.fconstructivism based strategies that initíates the teacher in the investigation o.f the problems that are presented in the classroom have been used. Fínally, the existence o.fínvestígatíon or innovatíon consolidated groups in which new teachers could be traíned as investigators, or to promote the .formation o.f teacher s teams that work in the problems o.f the educational practíce is also required. Key words: teacher pro.fessional development, in-service science teacher traíning, analysís of models in sci- ence teacher education, strategies .for effective programmes. Introduction The beginníng ofthís 21st century is highly interesting from a socio-educational perspective. Government education officials in many countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Mexico aim to reform the science education currículum and promote research into science teaching. Science education is now seen to be not only a long term investment, but also an essential factor in short term development (Gil et al., 1998). There is increasing talk of the need to include a science currículum in the obligatory stage of educatíon (up to 15 or 16 years of age) aimed at teaching scientific technologica11iteracy. This literacy implies accepting that students must 1eam scientific and techno1ogica1 knowledge, the processes that can help these constructions and acquire a critical interest in regard to the role science and technology play in their lives. Such know1edge, skills, abilities and attitudes must make it possible for citizens to carry out well grounded evaluations and take sound decisions in reference to problems linked to scientific and technological development. The trends observed in the currículum presented in a publication by the National Research Council (1996) entitled Nationa1 Science Education Standards are heading in this direction as a ·· project for a new way of teaching science in the 21st century. They point out that: "In a world filled with the products of scientific inquiry, scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone." Fur· thermore, the World Conference on Science for the 21st Century held in June 1999 by UNESCO and the Intemational Council for Science (ICSU) call for moves in this direction. The Programme Project a Pr (l a 1 (: tl b tl S D g 11 F e V t e 1 t S \ e l