PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES OF HOME-BASED PRACTICAL WORK UNDER EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING

Practical work is ubiquitous in science education, but its enactment is challenging in remote teaching contexts. The situation was exacerbated due to a moratorium on contact classes induced by the COVID-19 pandemic that necessitated strict health protocols. Home-based practical work (HBPW) became a significant option as academic institutions shifted to emergency remote teaching. The question is whether HBPW provides equivalent learning experiences in comparison to laboratory-based practical work (LBPW). This research therefore explored pre-service science teachers’ experiences of HBPW implemented at a particular South African university. Eighty-four preservice science teachers, who engaged in HBPW in a chemistry module, were purposively selected as the participants. The data were generated through individual reflections at the end of the semester. An adaption of the equivalence theory was ideal in analysing and interpreting the results. Results show that HBPW was flexible, empowering, contextualised, and enhanced active learning. New forms of interaction emerged in the absence of physical student-teacher and student-student interactions. Concerns over its ability to develop practical skills are expressed. Recommendations are made with a view to optimising HBPW. Keywords: emergency remote teaching, home-based practical work, laboratory-based practical work, pre-service science teachers, student-teacher interactions

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Assessing the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Pre-Service Science Teachers at a South African University

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education ◽

10.4018/ijicte.20210701.oa8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 123-136

Author(s):

Umesh Ramnarain ◽

Annesca Pieters ◽

Hsin-Kai Wu

Keyword(s):

Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽

South African ◽

Content Knowledge ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽

Service Science ◽

Pedagogical Content ◽

Proficiency Levels ◽

Proficiency Level ◽

Preservice Science Teachers

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' proficiency levels regarding their practical knowledge of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK-P). A sample of 103 third- and fourth-year participants from a South African university were surveyed on their TPACK-P proficiency levels using a 17-item questionnaire developed by Yeh, Lin, Hsu, Wu, and Hwang. Rasch analysis was employed to analyse the data. The findings of the study showed that the great majority of preservice science teachers have a proficiency level of 3 for their knowledge on TPACK-P. A proficiency level of 3 demonstrates the infusive application, where the teacher makes use of ICTs to guide learners to self-explore and independently construct their science knowledge. These baseline findings could inform higher education institutions in reviewing their teacher development programmes for pre-service science teacher preparedness in harnessing the affordances of ICT in their teaching.

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A REFLECTION OF PRESERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS' VIEWS OF OPEN ACCESS DIMENSION OF RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

10.33225/balticste/2017.28 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Cagla Bulut ◽

◽

Bulent Cavas ◽

Kadir Demir ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Science Teachers ◽

Scientific Communication ◽

Open Science ◽

Process Research ◽

Service Science ◽

Responsible Research And Innovation ◽

Scientific Process ◽

Research And Innovation ◽

Preservice Science Teachers ◽

Responsible Research

European Union has recently begun placing emphasis on sharing of scientific process as well as knowledge with public as part of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) approach. During RRI process, research results are required to be accessible to public for efficient scientific communication. It is hereby significant to evaluate pre-service science teachers’ views. Thus, this study focused on pre-service science teachers’ views of RRI using RRI-questionnaire. Preliminary results show that pre-service science teachers have positive views towards RRI-open science dimension. Keywords: open science, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), pre-service science teachers.

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Preservice Science Teachers' Discrimination Level of Science and Pseudoscience

Science Education International ◽

10.33828/sei.v29.i4.9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 267-273

Author(s):

Murat Berat Uçar ◽

◽

Elvan Sahin ◽

Keyword(s):

Science Teachers ◽

Teacher Education Program ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Service Science ◽

Preservice Science Teachers ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Teachers Beliefs ◽

Discrimination Level ◽

Shed Light

This quantitative study aimed to examine Turkish pre-service science teachers’ beliefs regarding the demarcating between science and pseudoscience. Participants completed the Science and Pseudoscience Distinction Scale. Data collected from the 123 pre-service science teachers were examined based on the dimensions of the instrument, namely science as a process of inquiry (SCI), demarcating between science and pseudoscience, and pseudoscientific beliefs (PS). This study found that these pre-service science teachers generally did not hold strong beliefs on distinguishing science and pseudoscience. Their beliefs regarding SCI were not highly favorable. Moreover, this study revealed that they had some PS. Considering the role of gender and year in the program, the results of two-way MANOVA indicated that there was no statistically significant difference on the related belief constructs for these pre-service science teachers. Thus, the present study intended to shed light on pre-service science teachers’ mindsets about identifying accurate scientific information rather than pseudoscientific confusions that could aid preparing scientifically literate students. It was shown that their teacher education program did not facilitate favorable beliefs. This study highlights some potential areas for further exploration of addressing pre-service science teachers’ discrimination skills of science and pseudoscience.

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RESEARCH ON THE PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC BELIEFS OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS: A SAMPLE FROM ASTRONOMY-ASTROLOGY

Journal of Baltic Science Education ◽

10.33225/jbse/14.13.381 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 381-393

Author(s):

Aysun Oztuna Kaplan

Keyword(s):

Preservice Teachers ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Phenomenological Approach ◽

Study Data ◽

Service Science ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Preservice Science Teachers ◽

Open Coding ◽

Question Form

The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions embraced by preservice science teachers on astrology, which is defined as a pseudo-science. It also aimed to reflect their abilities to distinguish between science and pseudo-science through the examples of astronomy – astrology. Twenty-nine grade 4 preservice teachers studying Science Education participated in the study. Among the qualitative research patterns, the phenomenological approach was used for the study. Data were collected through an open-ended question form, group discussion records, and research assignments, while individual interviews were conducted where necessary. Open coding was used for the evaluation of the data, and the validity of the study was obtained through verifications of preservice teachers on themes and theories during the interviews. The findings of the study showed that a vast majority of preservice teachers perceived astrology as a field of science or a subfield of astronomy. Quite a few preservice teachers expressed that astrology was a nonscientific field and that knowledge obtained through astrology could not be considered as scientific knowledge. Key words: astrology, astronomy, pre-service science teachers, pseudo-science, science.

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ICT Tools, Virtual and Augmented Reality: Preservice Science Teachers’ Experiences

Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation ◽

10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_156-1 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Marisol Lopera-Pérez ◽

Mónica Eliana Cardona-Zapata

Keyword(s):

Augmented Reality ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Preservice Science Teachers ◽

Teachers Experiences ◽

Ict Tools ◽

Virtual And Augmented Reality

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Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Inquiry-Based Practical Work in Multiple-Deprived Classrooms: A Decoloniality Approach

Progressio South African Journal for Open and Distance Learning Practice ◽

10.25159/0256-8853/5701 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maria Tsakeni

Keyword(s):

Teacher Preparation ◽

Instructional Strategies ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Study Data ◽

Service Science ◽

Practical Work ◽

Pedagogical Issues ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Inquiry Based Learning

Amidst debates on decoloniality in higher education and instructional strategies earmarked for the 21st century in science classrooms, this paper argues for the preparation of teachers who have the epistemic capability to be functional in all school contexts. The study adopts a decoloniality approach and Sen’s Capability Approach to explore the link between pre-service science teacher preparation and the practice of inquiry-based practical work (IBPW) in multiple-deprived classrooms. Inquiry-based learning is an impetus of current reforms and curriculum projects in science education. Practical work is also central to science teaching and learning. The integration of inquiry-based learning and practical work results in IBPW instructional strategies. The implementation of the strategies is filtered through school contextual settings such as material resources and teacher professional identities, which are some of the unmet needs in multiple-deprived classrooms. What is subject to debate in this paper is how teacher training programmes prepare pre-service science teachers to effectively implement IBPW under the adverse conditions of multiple-deprived classrooms. Using one university in the Free State province of South Africa as a case study, data were generated by means of two focus group interviews, each with five final-year pre-service teachers, and semi-structured interviews with two lecturers. Theorising on a decoloniality approach for pre-service teacher preparation in IBPW implementation, the study highlights some epistemic and pedagogical issues that create multiple-deprived classrooms and perpetuate non-inclusivity and injustices.

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