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Preparing future mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) with knowledge that are needed to effectively support pre-service teachers (PSTs) is very important. However, little attention was paid to MTEs’ knowledge development, which is multifaceted and complex. This study investigates successes, challenges, and tensions that four international graduate MTEs and one mathematics teacher educator (TE) experienced in developing their identity as math teacher educators. In total, 20 h of interactive interviews were analyzed by using qualitative methods. Emerging themes include how MTEs establish a sense of credibility and how they feel they are navigating multiple identities. Among the graduate MTEs, credibility was described as having the following: (a) knowledge of and experience teaching in the US education system; (b) experience in teaching using a problem-solving approach; (c) the ability to enact theory in practice. While navigating multiple identities, graduate MTEs recognize their ethnic identities are central and influence their perceptions of self as MTEs, and how they think they are perceived by others. The results highlight the importance of understanding MTEs tensions and challenges and provide “in-the-moment” support along the journey of becoming teacher educators.

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This paper describes the improved science conceptions and orientations for teaching about Nature of Science that resulted in a group of doctoral students who took a Nature of Science graduate course. This paper was a result of a panel discussion at the 2021 International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (IConSES) in Chicago, IL. The format took a reflective view on the past course, and how the doctoral students made changes in their ideas about NOS and their teaching practices. Reflections were made across themes that included Early ideas about NOS, our orientations to teaching about NOS, the world outside our window, and teaching NOS, and teaching NOS, past, present and future. Recommendations are made for beginning NOS instruction as early as kindergarten and embedding it in science content throughout all science education, making it a part of instruction similar to how scientific practices are similar to instruction.

Research on Nature of Science (NOS) conceptions and identity development for NOS contains a gap in the realm of examining doctoral students aiming to be science teacher educators. This research examines the NOS identity development of participants in a course focused on the philosophy of science and research about NOS education. The data analyzed for this study were recordings and notes taken during class discussions in a NOS seminar, as well as NOS research and teaching assignments associated with the course. These data sources were analyzed for development of four influences on identity development for NOS: 1) personal influences on NOS identity, 2) contextual influences on NOS identity, 3) competing identities with NOS, and 4) persistence in overcoming barriers to development of a NOS identity. Findings emphasize the need to target NOS identity development among teacher educators, as they hold the primary responsibility for instilling a NOS identity in their own students, who are future teachers.