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In science education, only teachers that are competent in skills, methods and procedures relevant to a science discipline can help learners to develop scientific skills and processes associated with investigating natural phenomena. The purpose of this study was to explore views of pre-service science teachers with regard to science process skills that they had developed through various freshwater activities and the stepwise scientific process. Data were collected through a 4-part questionnaire that included various science process skills and the scientific process. Ninety-four 2nd- and 3rd-year pre-service teachers that registered for a Bachelor of Education degree participated in this study. The results from statistical analyses of the teachers’ responses to skills they had developed showed prominence of observing, yet the teachers failed to link observing and communication to formulating a research question. Similar challenges were also evident in designing experiments. While the teachers were able to link science process skills to hypothesising, they experienced relative challenges in linking relevant skills to observation and drawing conclusions and making inferences. The findings suggest potential challenges to teachers on fair testing investigations in terms of questioning, designing of experiments, drawing of associated conclusions and making inferences.

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Today science teachers are expected to understand the nature of environmental education, and be competent in skills, methods, and procedures relevant to a science discipline. The purpose of this research was to explore pre-service science teachers’ views with regard to environmental education, investigation conducted during a freshwater ecosystem studied, skills developed and the associated stepwise scientific process. Data were collected through a five-item questionnaire that included the characteristics of environmental education, types of scientific investigations, science process skills and the scientific process. 94 students that registered for a Bachelor of Education degree participated in this research. The results from statistical analysis of the teachers’ responses showed the importance of lifelong learning, involvement of community in environmental education and development of critical and problem-solving skills. However, most teachers could not provide correct scientific investigation they conducted during the freshwater study. Although there were no correlations between the investigation, science process skills and the associated scientific process, influence of the stepwise scientific process recommended in the science curriculum was evident in the teachers’ linking of form a hypothesis to observation. The findings imply that teachers face potential challenges in understanding of scientific investigations and the scientific process. Keywords: fieldwork, environmental education, pre-service teachers, science process skills, scientific investigations, stepwise scientific process