Developing Pre-service Elementary Science Teachers’ Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs through Microteaching by Promoting Efficacy Sources

Science teaching efficacy belief (STEB) is of paramount importance as it motivates teachers to teach science or hinders them from teaching science. Pre-service teachers' efficacy beliefs may change during their method courses. Knowing how pre-service teachers' beliefs change over time can significantly contribute to teacher educators to improve teacher efficacy. This study examined the effect of microteaching on pre-service elementary science teachers' STEB. Pretest-posttest control group design was utilized. Data was collected using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-B) developed by Enochs and Riggs (1990) both at the beginning and end of the study. The treatment group planned and taught mini-lessons. The lessons were videotaped and evaluated in detail by watching the videotapes. The microteachers replanned and retaught the mini-lessons based on the feedback. The microteaching practices were conducted to support efficacy sources. The control group only planned and taught mini-lessons and received brief and undetailed feedback. Results showed significant differences in participants' personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and student outcome expectancy beliefs in terms of the treatment group. The STEB scores of the control group also decreased at the end of the study. It is suggested that pre-service teachers should have the opportunity to reflect on their performances, artifacts, or lesson plans and to design them several times.

Elementary Science Teachers Adapt Their Practice During a Pandemic

The COVID-19 global pandemic created new challenges for teachers and school systems as teachers were forced to rapidly transition to remote learning using new digital tools and resources. Teaching elementary science in “normal times” is challenging due to issues involving teacher preparation, limited access to materials and lack of administrative support due to emphasis on tested subjects, among others. Using reform-based, inquiry practices is challenging when teaching science face-to-face and even more so in an online environment. Compounded with issues of access and equity, teachers faced many problems with moving elementary science instruction online due to COVID-19. This study reports on the experiences of 10 early career teachers who were graduates of a specialized elementary science concentration. Teachers reflect on the challenges faced, how they adapted, and how they designed new learning contexts to teach science. Teachers report on resources they found beneficial, assess needs for the future, and explain how they worked to maintain a sense of community for their students during this unprecedented critical time.

Evaluation of Elementary Science Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Inclusive Education Applications

The purpose of this study is to investigate the problems and suggestions of the elementary science teachers having students with special needs in the inclusive education applications. The present study is a descriptive study which determines the opinions of elementary science teachers regarding inclusive education. Thirty seven in-service science teachers who have been working in schools where inclusive education is applied in different cities of Turkey participated in the study. Data were collected throughstructured interview form. Thirty-seven interview forms were completed with thirty-seven teachers working in the elementary schools. In an explicit coding process, the researchers grouped each data unit under a category according to common features. In the axial coding process, themes with characteristics similar to categories were classified and determined. When the themes emerged and in the selective coding process, the researchers tried to give meaning to these synthesized patterns. After the data was collected and analyzed, the following four main themes emerged: How do they deal with the inclusive student, the problems encountered in the classrooms where there are inclusive students, the methods applied, and the solutions suggested.