Research on Secondary Science Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This chapter draws on theoretical and empirical research internationally to report what we know about initial secondary science teacher preparation. We focus on the characteristics of secondary preservice science teachers within and across preservice programs, secondary preservice science teachers’ facility with science teaching practices, and the pedagogies supportive of secondary preservice science teachers’ learning. Beyond characterizing the literature in these three areas, this review provides the field with a sense of the collective promise of the work from a broader perspective that was not possible to determine from individual research projects. Additionally, promising future research is discussed, along with recommendations to the field of secondary science teacher education to move away from investigations focused on identifying the deficits of secondary preservice science teachers, which amounted to a significant portion of the research reviewed.