Development of Social and Culture Aspects Pre-service Science Teachers on Learning for Nature of Science

Understanding aspects of the Nature of Science (NOS) for preservice science teachers is one of the essential components to be able to understand Science and its processes. There are seven aspects of NOS: empirical, inference, creative, latent theory, tentative, scientific procedural myths, theories and laws of science, social and cultural dimensions, and their embedding in science. There are 48 preservice science teachers involved in this study. Researchers explored their views about NOS and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) through a validated questionnaire. Results showed that the students' opinions on NOS consisted of empirical, tentative, inference, law, scientific theory, and creativity. Meanwhile, aspects of laden theory, myths of scientific procedures, and social and cultural dimensions embedded with science have not been described by students. Fortunately, the students presented IK as an authentic context based on the culture in science learning. Students express IK ideas: 1) biomedicine (40 students), Biopesticide (2 students), beauty ingredients (2 students), additives (1 student), and supernatural medicine (1 student). Integrating Science and IK as an authentic context in science learning leads IK toward high technology and strengthens NOS aspects. In addition, the assumption that IK has no future is declining.

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

Examining the Views of Preservice Science Teachers on Creating Concept Maps

This study aimed to examine the views of preservice science teachers on concept map use in a General Chemistry II class. The study was conducted with 47 preservice science teachers. In the study, an interview form grounded on determining their views on concept maps and comprised of open-ended questions, was used as the data collection tool. In analysis of the data acquired, content analysis was performed. As a result of the analysis of the data, the preservice teachers expressed positive views on concept map use. They stated that it might contribute to their learning and increase the permanence of the knowledge learned. Also, they reported that they liked creating concept maps and among the concept map types they usually chose to create hierarchical concept maps. Most of the preservice teachers stated that they had to know the subject related to the concept map very well in order to create concept maps more easily, otherwise they might have a difficulty in the concept map creation process and thus concept maps should generally be used after a lecture. In addition the preservice teachers stated that they intended to use concept maps in their teaching experience. As a result, before concept maps are used in teaching, it is recommended to inform students about the creation of concept maps, to use them for re-purpose in teaching activities, and to include activities containing concept maps in textbooks.

Becoming a Science Teacher: Is It Merely a Process of Trial and Error?

In this paper, I explore preservice science teachers’ (science PSTs’) reflective practice (RP) during a 1-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education programme in England. Previous research suggests that science PSTs are not very reflective, and I hypothesised that lack of reflectivity is related to their difficulty in learning to teach. Science PSTs (n = 38) took part in a teaching intervention designed to support development of RP, and eight volunteered as research participants. Four seminars about the diagnostic teaching cycle and action learning (AL) took place in the university during the year. Data collected included written reflective journals, analyses of critical incidents, and action plans; audio recordings of AL sets; and school-based mentors’ reports of participants’ progress in school placements. I investigated participants’ reflectivity using Zwokdiak-Myers’ nine dimensions of reflective practice. There was substantial variation between participants, and more evidence of reflectivity in some dimensions than in others. A relative strength was that participants adopted a range of teaching strategies (Dimension 6), but linking theory with practice (Dimension 3) was a weakness.