Exploring pre-service primary teachers’ progression towards inquiry-based science learning

Abstract

Background: An in-depth understanding of pre-service primary teachers' progression towards teaching science through inquiry is critical for improving teacher education programmes and, ultimately, improving the quality of science teaching and learning in the classroom.Purpose: This study set out to describe and analyse the progression of pre-service primary teachers' learning during an initial teacher education course on how to teach science through inquiry. There was a specific focus on the progression of learning in the area of curriculum content as a component of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Method:The sample consisted of 347 pre-service primary teachers grouped into 92 teams. As part of their pre-service training, they were designing science teaching proposals as part of the course on teaching science through inquiry. An analysis was conducted to explore the content of the designs created by these teams, both at the beginning and end of the course. Data were analysed qualitatively, using an interpretative approach informed by grounded theory. Findings:The analysis identified that most of the teachers progressed in their learning throughout the course, although only 14 of the teams progressed in all categories. It was possible through the analysis to determine intermediate levels of learning, between the starting level and the highest level of PCK. The analysis also indicated that the change paths of each team were very different. Discussion and Conclusions:Our study suggested that it was possible to analyse the professional learning and knowledge of the pre-service primary teachers in terms of progression in their learning of how to teach science through inquiry. Identifying progression in learning is complex and nuanced. However, we believe that this endeavour is an important underpinning research activity in order to support improvement in initial teacher education in primary science.

Attitudes towards the Use of Educational Robotics: Exploring Pre-Service and In-Service Early Childhood Teacher Profiles

“…Today's preschoolers are tomorrow's inventors, decision makers, and problem solvers. Therefore, in recent years, concepts such as STEM, robotics, CT, and coding have been promoted by educational institutions and other organizations as skills that are as significantly and equally important for all 21st century students as numeracy and literacy [22,23].…”

Supporting the Development of Pre-Service Primary Teachers PCK and CK through a STEM Program

“…Knowing that Content Knowledge influences teacher confidence and practices [27] and that lack of CK is particularly common in primary teachers [28], initial teacher education programs for early-level teachers should focus on science topics in which PSTs have difficulties and IBL, to produce considerable progress in their PCK [29]. Indeed, research has shown that primary school teachers are not well prepared to engage their students in inquiry and problem-based learning approaches, which makes it essential to support teachers in developing their PCK [29,30]. Literature on STEM practices and the development of CK and PCK in initial education is scarce, highlighting the lack of investment in this field.…”

How Do Prospective Teachers Address Pupils’ Ideas during School Practices?

“…As indicated by [36] (p. 6), science teaching may require "interweaving in a dialectical and complex way, the teacher's moments of knowledge transmission with the student's inquiry moments". Being aware of this, in this work, we consider it desirable that prospective teachers approach constructivist orientations to teach science [3,27]. Understanding the epistemological particularity of students' ideas and the specificity of their didactics is an important tool for prospective teachers to progress in their PCK.…”

“…This is a differentiating knowledge that teachers use when planning and teaching, which distinguishes them from other education professionals [1,2]. For science teachers, PCK includes knowledge of students' thinking about science, science curriculum, science-specific instructional strategies, assessment of students' science learning, and orientations to teaching science [3][4][5]. To develop knowledge of pupils thinking about science, an understanding of their initial science ideas and experiences (including misconceptions), the development of science ideas (including process and sequence), how pupils express science ideas (including demonstration of understanding, questions, responses), and the appropriate level of scientific understanding is necessary [6][7][8][9].…”