For the planning and implementation of lessons with digital technologies, a subject-specific technology-related professional competence of teachers is of central importance. However, the competency frameworks developed so far remain in a general perspective and do not explicitly address subject-specific issues. Furthermore, digital competencies are predominantly measured with subject-unspecific self-assessment instruments, as subject-specific operationalizations for this area are not yet available in a differentiated form. In this article, the framework for Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education (DiKoLAN), a subject-specific framework for pre-service science teachers, is introduced, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, first results of a self-assessment tool based on the framework are described. DiKoLAN defines competency areas highly specific to science, as well as more general competency areas that include aspects common to all subjects. Each competency area is described by competency expectations, which, in turn, are structured with reference to the four technology-related dimensions of the TPACK framework (i.e., Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge) and three levels of performance (Name, Describe, Use/Apply). Derived from DiKoLAN, a corresponding self-assessment instrument (DiKoLAN-Grid) was developed and empirically tested for the two competency areas, (n = 118) and Information Search and Evaluation (n = 90), in biology student teachers. By means of path models, tendencies regarding structural correlations of the four components Special Tools (TK), Content-specific Context (TCK), Methods and Digitality (TPK), and Teaching (TPACK) are presented for both competency areas and discussed, as well as in comparison to previously conducted, subject-unspecific surveys.

In order to systematically introduce (prospective) teachers to teaching in the digital world and to lay the foundations for concepts that are meaningful in terms of physics education, essential aspects of learning with and via digital media must be conveyed. In addition to cross-curricular competencies, it is essential to consider subject-specific competencies for the natural sciences since the formation of subject-specific knowledge on the use of digital media in the classroom (TPACK) is the decisive factor for acceptance behaviour and the intention for later use. The questions remain as to what core competencies must be built up by all (prospective) science teachers by the end of their studies and in which sections of university teacher training this should take place. Since no competence frameworks specific to the teaching of science were previously available, nine researchers from eight universities came together to develop a suitable orientation framework. As a result, this contribution presents the structured and graded framework “DiKoLAN – Digitale Kompetenzen für das Lehramt in den Naturwissenschaften [Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education]” (see https://dikolan.de).

Understanding and knowledge of scientific reasoning skills is a key ability of pre-service teachers. In a written survey (open response format), biology and chemistry pre-service teachers (n = 51) from two German universities claimed central decisions or actions school students have to perform in scientific reasoning in the open inquiry instruction of an experiment. The participants’ answers were assessed in a quality content analysis using a rubric system generated from a theoretical background. Instruments in a closed response format were used to measure attitudes towards the importance of diagnostics in teacher training and the domain-specific expectations of self-efficacy. The pre-service teacher lacked pedagogical (didactics) content knowledge about potential student difficulties and also exhibited a low level of content methodological (procedural) knowledge. There was no correlation between the knowledge of student difficulties and the approach to experimenting with expectations of self-efficacy for diagnosing student abilities regarding scientific reasoning. Self-efficacy expectations concerning their own abilities to successfully cope with general and experimental diagnostic activities were significantly lower than the attitude towards the importance of diagnostics in teacher training. The results are discussed with regard to practical implications as they imply that scientific reasoning should be promoted in university courses, emphasising the importance of understanding the science-specific procedures (knowing how) and epistemic constructs in scientific reasoning (knowing why).