Changes in Teaching Efficacy During a Professional Development School‐Based Science Methods Course

Abstract

This mixed methods study offers a theoretically grounded description of a field‐based science methods course within a Professional Development School (PDS) model (i.e., PDS‐based course). The preservice teachers' (n= 21) experiences within the PDS‐based course prompted significant changes in their personal teaching efficacy, with the opportunities working with children afforded in the course attributed as a source of these beliefs. However, the preservice teachers' teaching outcome expectancy beliefs did not significantly shift. The results of this study support the extant literature in that field experiences with science methods courses can facilitate preservice teacher development in meaningful ways. This study expands upon this literature by considering a PDS context for science teacher preparation, more specifically, a science methods course purposefully integrated in elementary classrooms at a PDS where preservice teachers facilitated scientific inquiry projects with children. The findings should prompt new ways of thinking about teacher preparation, particularly related to science, that provide systematic and intentional connectivity between university programs and K–12 schools so preservice teachers can connect theory and practice.