scholarly journals Prospective primary teachers’ views on the nature of science

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 403
Author(s):  
Rafael Amador-Rodríguez ◽  
Agustín Adúriz-Bravo ◽  
Jorge Alberto Valencia Cobo ◽  
Roberto Reinoso Tapia ◽  
Jaime Delgado Iglesias
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Logical Positivism ◽  
Undergraduate Teaching ◽  
Epistemological Views ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

This article presents the results of a piece of research that analyzed the views on the nature of science (NOS) among student teachers enrolled in programs of Primary Education at two public universities in Spain. Previous studies have reported that science teachers maintain ‘eclectic’ epistemological perspectives on science; in this article, we test if such a hypothesis holds when teachers’ NOS ideas are ‘anchored’ in specific periods and topics of the philosophy of science. We studied 114 prospective teachers attending an undergraduate teaching course with emphasis on the natural sciences at the Universities of Burgos and Valladolid in the period of 2017-18. A Likert-scale questionnaire with 50 items was applied to determine trends in those teachers’ epistemological views on science. The results showed that teachers’ views are mostly correlated with the philosophical period of Logical Positivism/Received View, and to some extent to the period of Recent and Contemporary Accounts. Regarding the classical epistemological topics of correspondence, methodologies, intervention, evolution and representation, teachers’ views could be related to the period of Logical Positivism/Received View and Critical Rationalism, but also to the New Philosophy of Science. The main conclusion of this study is that teachers’ expressed views on NOS are epistemologically eclectic to a much smaller degree when examined with more detail concerning specific periods and topics of the philosophy of science.

scholarly journals USING ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION: STUDENTS-PROSPECTIVE PRIMARY TEACHERS' VIEWS

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 467-473
Author(s):  
Lyubka Aleksieva
Keyword(s):  
Primary Education ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Electronic Textbooks ◽  
Teaching Aids ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

Bulgaria is now in а process of major changes and reforms in the field of education that involve the implementation of various strategies and regulations. Updating the curricula for school and preschool education has led to the development of new textbooks and teaching aids. Primary and middle school textbooks sets for all subjects were replaced with new ones complemented by their compulsory electronic versions. These e-versions are not only covering the topics and content of the printed versions of the textbooks, but include additional e-resources. Some research of the new textbooks contents has already been done by authors such as Kirova (Kirova, 2018; Kирова, 2018). She compares different components of the curriculum content and the way they are developed in the mathematics textbooks, but the components of the adjunct electronic textbooks (e-textbooks) are not yet analysed. Their examination is necessary for teachers’ practice as well as for the preparation of prospective primary teachers for using e-textbooks in the classroom. No special training for working with e-textbooks is provided in prospective teachers’ current university preparation. However, digital competence is one of the key competences which are developed in primary education programs in Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts (FESA), Sofia University, Bulgaria. Although it is generally acknowledged that students use digital devices very often and their skills are sufficient for blended learning (Цанев, 2018), yet it is not clear if students’ digital competencies are sufficient for using e-textbooks. Furthermore, there is a gap in the literature about students’ views and attitudes towards working with e-textbooks. Along with their competencies, students’ attitudes are important for successful implementation of e-textbooks in their teaching. Therefore, Sofia University Scientific Research Fund funded project №80-10-170/2019 "Practical aspects of students-prospective primary teachers’ preparation for working with electronic resources" whose main objectives include exploration of the views, preparation and readiness of students-prospective primary teachers about the usage of e-textbooks in primary education. As a part of the project, this study analyses students’ views in terms of necessity of using e-textbooks, their benefits and the requirements that e-textbooks have to meet in order to be used effectively in primary education.Data include an online survey which was conducted during the summer term of academic year 2018-2019 and was completed by 166 students-prospective primary teachers from bachelor and master degree programs at FESA (SU), Bulgaria. The results revealed that the surveyed students generally have positive views about the usage of e-textbooks in education and are well aware of their advantages. They recognized their potential to better visualise learning content and save teachers time. The content that e-textbooks should include and the requirements that e-textbooks have to meet in order to be effectively used in the classroom are also discussed in the paper.

scholarly journals PROGRAMA DE INTERVENCIÓN PARA LA MEJORA DE LAS CREENCIAS DE AUTOEFICACIA EN LAS CLASES DE CIENCIAS INTERVENTION PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS IN SCIENCE CLASSES

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
María Brígido Mero ◽  
Ana Belén Borrachero Cortés ◽  
Mª Luisa Bermejo García ◽  
Mª Antonia Dávila Acedo
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Affective Domain ◽  
The Self ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

Abstract.This paper offers the description about a intervention program designed as a result of a study about the affective domain aroused in prospective Primary teachers in their initial teacher education during their science classes, with the result of negative self-efficacy beliefs. The aim is an improving of the self-efficacy beliefs in their science teaching practices, as of some activities in three timeframes: before, during and after their practices in the schools. The total sample was 11 prospective Primary teachers. The results showed that there is a relationship between the beliefs as students and as teachers, as well as an improvement in the self-efficacy believes as science teachers after a metacognitive emotional intervention program. The findings show the importance of the affective domain and of the emotional training in the teachers teaching.Keywords: Self-Efficacy, Teaching science, Initial teaching education.Resumen.Este trabajo ofrece la descripción de un programa de intervención diseñado a raíz del estudio sobre el dominio afectivo en los maestros de Primaria en formación inicial en sus clases de ciencias, protagonizado por unas bajas creencias de autoeficacia. El objetivo es una búsqueda en la mejora de las creencias de autoeficacia en sus prácticas docentes de ciencias a partir de una serie de actividades realizadas en tres momentos temporales: antes, durante y después del periodo de prácticas en los centros escolares. La muestra total ha sido de 11 sujetos de tercer curso de Magisterio, especialidad Primaria. Los resultados muestran que hay una relación entre las creencias como aprendices y como docentes de ciencias, existiendo en general una mejora de las creencias de autoeficacia como docentes de ciencias tres un programa metacognitivo de intervención emocional. Los hallazgos muestran la importancia del dominio afectivo y de la formación emocional en la enseñanza de maestros.Palabras clave: Auto-eficacia, Enseñanza de las ciencias, Formación inicial de maestros.

scholarly journals Activities Written by Prospective Primary Teachers on Realistic Mathematics Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
Hatice Kübra Güler
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Curriculum ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Primary Teacher ◽  
Realistic Mathematics Education ◽  
Realistic Mathematics ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

It is important for students to connect with real life in mathematics courses. The aim of this study is to investigate the activities which are written by prospective primary school teachers in the context of Realistic Mathematics Education. This research is a case study of which data were collected by qualitative methods. The participants of the research included 81 prospective primary teachers who are junior students attended primary teacher department. It was asked them to write an activity suitable for primary mathematics curriculum by considering Realistic Mathematics Education principles. They were given one month to write the activities. The activities written by prospective teachers analyzed by descriptive methods in terms of learning domains, types of context and principles of Realistic Mathematics Education. Totally 36 activities were written by prospective teachers. Based on the analysis, it was observed that not all the contexts were exactly real life contexts. It was determined that prospective teacher could not distinguish routine word problems from real life problems. It can be said that theoretical knowledge of Realistic Mathematics Education is inadequate for writing activities and prospective primary teachers need to practice on writing activities regarding the mentioned theory.

scholarly journals PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ INTERPRETATIVE KNOWLEDGE ON EARLY ALGEBRA

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (esp.) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
Rosa Di Bernardo ◽  
Gemma Carotenuto ◽  
Maria Mellone ◽  
Miguel Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematical Knowledge ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Algebraic Thinking ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Algebraic Reasoning ◽  
Early Algebra ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
And Algebra ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

 Abstract: Starting from the assumption that very young children exhibit some naive forms of algebraic skills, in this paper we discuss some of our work aimed at inquiry, and in the same time develop, prospective primary teachers’ knowledge involved and required in recognize and interpret pupils’ early forms of algebraic thinking. The research dimension is perceived intertwined with teacher education and practice and thus, the tasks we develop for such work focus on early years’ prospective teachers’ mathematical knowledge specifically related with the work of teaching Early Algebra. Thus, our focus of attention concerns their knowledge that would sustain the work on supporting the development of pupils’ knowledge and reasoning toward more refined algebraic skills. We present promising preliminary results from an experiment conducted on 60 prospective Italian teachers’, which paves the way for further research about the expected early years teachers’ knowledge on Early Algebra and Algebra and even more refined didactic methods aimed at developing it.Keywords: Teachers’ knowledge. Algebraic Reasoning. Interpretative knowledge. Early years.CONHECIMENTO INTERPRETATIVO DE FUTUROS PROFESSORES DA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL E ANOS INICIAIS NO ÂMBITO DO PENSAMENTO ALGÉBRICO Resumo: Considerando que as crianças desde cedo possuem algumas capacidades, competências e conhecimentos algébricos, ainda que intuitivos, neste artigo discutimos uma parte de nosso trabalho que tem por objetivo acessar e desenvolver o conhecimento de futuros professores envolvido e requerido em reconhecer e interpretar produções de alunos no âmbito do Pensamento Algébrico. Pesquisa, formação e prática são consideradas de forma indissociada e, assim, as tarefas que conceitualizamos para desenvolver esse trabalho focam-se no conhecimento matemático de futuros professores especificamente relacionado com as tarefas de ensinar Pensamento Algébrico. Assim, o nosso foco de atenção refere-se, especificamente, ao conhecimento de futuros professores que contribua para o desenvolvimento do conhecimento e raciocínio dos alunos no sentido de refinar as suas competências algébricas. Apresentamos alguns resultados preliminares a partir da análise de uma tarefa para a formação de professores implementada em Itália a 60 futuros professores e que revelam alguns aspetos centrais do conhecimento do professor relativamente ao Pensamento Algébrico e à Álgebra e indicam necessidades de pesquisa que contribua para um desenvolvimento de tal conhecimento.Palavras-chave: Conhecimento do professor. Pensamento Algébrico. Conhecimento Interpretativo. Anos Iniciais. CONOCIMIENTO INTERPRETATIVO DE FUTUROS PROFESSORES DE INFANTIL E PRIMÁRIA EN EL CONTEXTO DEL PENSAMIENTO ALGEBRAICOResumen: Considerando que los niños desde edad temprana poseen algunas capacidades, competencias y conocimientos algebraicos, aunque intuitivos, en este artículo discutimos una parte de nuestro trabajo que tiene por objetivo acceder y desarrollar el conocimiento de futuros profesores involucrado y requerido en reconocer e interpretar producciones de alumnos en el ámbito del Pensamiento Algebraico. Investigación, formación y práctica se consideran de forma indisociada y así, las tareas que conceptualizamos para desarrollar ese trabajo se enfocan en el conocimiento matemático de futuros profesores específicamente relacionado con las tareas de enseñar Pensamiento Algebraico. Nuestro foco de atención se refiere específicamente al conocimiento de futuros profesores que contribuya al desarrollo del conocimiento y raciocinio de los alumnos en y para refinar sus competencias algebraicas. Presentamos algunos resultados preliminares a partir del análisis de una tarea para la formación de profesores implementada en Italia a 60 futuros profesores y que revelan algunos aspectos centrales del conocimiento del profesor respecto al Pensamiento Algebraico y al Álgebra e indican algunas necesidades de investigación que contribuya a un desarrollo de dicho conocimiento.Palabras claves: Conocimiento del profesor. Pensamiento Algebraico. Conocimiento Interpretativo. Educación Infantil e primaria 

scholarly journals The Relationship between Student Science Teachers’ Views on Nature of Science and Classroom Practice: Is There Any?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Constantina Stefanidou ◽  
Constantine Skordoulis ◽  
Christos Kechagias
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
School Science ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Didactics Of Physics ◽  
Moderate Relationship

The present study investigated the relationship between student science teachers’ views on Nature of Science and their views on the importance of teaching Nature of Science. It is a case study in which qualitative methods and descriptive statistics are used. The sample consisted of 23 student science teachers who attended a faculty course on Didactics of Physics and participated voluntarily. Preliminary findings showed a moderate relationship between students’ views on Nature of Science issues and their classroom practice, particularly regarding “tenets” such as the tentative character of science and sociocultural milieu. When it comes to more epistemological issues, such as the difference between a theory and a law, then student teachers have considerable conceptual difficulties and they also find the particular “tenets” less important for a school science context.

scholarly journals Prospective Primary Teachers’ Professional Noticing in Non-formal Learning Environments: The Case of a Mathematics Fair

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Constantinos Xenofontos ◽  
Sinem Hizli Alkan
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Formal Learning ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
Professional Noticing ◽  
Undergraduate Programme ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers

Research around mathematics teachers’ professional noticing has been largely contextualised by the formal setting of the classroom. In addressing the lack of relevant studies in non-formal learning environments, this paper draws on student teachers’ observations within a Mathematics Fair, which was part of a mathematics methods module of a primary education undergraduate programme. Working in pairs, 64 student teachers designed interactive mathematical games which upper primary school pupils had the opportunity to play in an event having taken place at our university. In this study, we analyse student teachers’ individual reflective essays written after the Fair, where they discussed important, in their view, incidents and observations. Employing a thematic analysis approach, we identified four themes discussed by students: the task; learning; teaching; non-formal environment. We conclude with the implications for teacher education and suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals Prospective teachers’ metacognitive awareness levels of reading strategies

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Aşıkcan ◽  
Ahmet Saban
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Problem Solving Strategies ◽  
Turkish Language ◽  
Prospective Primary Teachers ◽  
Reading Book

AbstractThe main purpose of this study is to determine prospective teachers’ metacognitive awareness levels of reading strategies. A quantitative surve method was used. Participants consisted of 150 prospective primary teachers and 150 prospective Turkish language teachers from Necmettin Erbakan University in Turkey. The data were collected through Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory during the spring semester of the 2014–2015 academic year. Results show that prospective teachers’ global reading and problem solving strategies levels are high while their support reading strategies level is medium. Female participants’ metacognitive awareness level was found to be higher compared to males. Prospective Turkish language teachers’ problem solving strategies level is higher than that of prospective primary teachers. Prospective primary teachers preferred historical and psychological books more while prospective Turkish Language teachers favoured all types of books equally. The metacognitive awareness levels of participants reading book everyday and sometimes are significantly higher than those of reading book never.Keywords: Metacognitive awareness, reading strategies, prospective teachers.*

The Views of Nature of Science Expressed by In-Service Teachers Who were Learning History and Philosophy of Science

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-48
Author(s):  
Young Mudavanhu ◽  
Nicholas Zezekwa
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Nature Of Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Bachelor Of Science ◽  
Learning History ◽  
Adequate Understanding

AbstractScience teachers need an adequate understanding of the nature and processes of science as the basis for their pedagogical content knowledge for effective classroom delivery. The aim of the study was to find out in-service teachers’ views on the nature of science (NOS) and how their views compared with informed understanding of the NOS. The study adopted an exploratory case study methodology, qualitative in nature, and used convenience sampling. A questionnaire was administered to 50 in-service teachers doing a bachelor of science honours degree at a selected university in Zimbabwe. The students had done a course in history and philosophy of science where there were exposed to some topics on the NOS. Frequency counts and mean scores were used to describe views of the participants. Analysis involved comparing in-service teachers’ responses with experts’ views. The findings reveal that the students had a naïve understanding of NOS in 5 out of 16 statements from the administered questionnaire. Despite these observations the participants generally had a fair understanding of the NOS as evidenced by the fact that the participants managed to correctly respond to 69% of the questions asked. As such we infer that teaching and learning of nature of science as part of history and philosophy of science had a positive impact on in-service teachers’ views. The few instances when participants’ responses revealed contradictions, suggest that teaching and learning history and philosophy of science may not be adequate to develop a full understanding of nature of science. Further research is recommended with large samples, using a revised Views Of Nature of Science (VNOS) questionnaire and interviews, and document analysis to reveal how nature of science is taught and learnt.

scholarly journals Insights into Components of Prospective Science Teachers’ Mental Models and Their Preferred Visual Representations of Atoms

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysegül Derman ◽  
Nuriye Koçak ◽  
Ingo Eilks
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Mental Models ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Atomic Structure ◽  
Visual Representations ◽  
Atomic Theory ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Mechanical Models ◽  
Prospective Science Teachers

This study focused on determining the elements of mental models of atomic structure and views on visual representations of models of atomic structure in two sub-cohorts of student teachers studying at a university in Turkey. In total, 141 student teachers participated in this study. In the first cohort, the focus was on 73 freshman science student teachers’ drawings of mental models of atomic structure. The analysis showed a wide variety of individual aspects in the students’ minds when asked to sketch the structure of atoms. The majority of students preferred to draw two-dimensional structures, neglecting the atom’s space-filling character. Concerning the details of atomic structure, the majority of students emphasized only the most essential components of atoms, namely protons, neutrons, and electrons. It was quickly recognizable that these elements were arranged according to different analogies or representations of historical models, particularly related to Bohr’s atomic theory and different representations thereof. Overall, the different visual representations of atomic models the students see in school, almost exclusively serve as the basis for their ideas about atomic structure. Current atomic theory, like quantum mechanical models, are generally not used when students are asked for a “contemporary” model of atoms. Rather it seems that concreteness and functionality are the primary factors leading to the selection of an atomic model when requested. This study is supplemented by data collected from the second cohort of 68 prospective teachers consisting of a diverse group of students ranging from freshman to senior level. The students in this cohort were asked for their preferred illustrations of atoms in textbooks. Open-ended questions about atoms led to further insights. The analysis of the prospective teachers’ drawings indicated that a more careful approach to teaching is necessary to clarify the relationships between different models of atomic structure and to allow students to understand what an appropriate and contemporary understanding of atomic structure should encompass.

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