Science Teachers' Perceptions and Needs for Courses in Science Education Subjects for Science Teacher Preparation Program in Korea

Abstract

The purposes of this study are to investigate Korean science teachers' perception of the current science teacher preparation courses in Korea, especially focused on subjects of science education, and to induce implications for improvement of in-service program for science teachers. To do this, a questionnaire was developed by the authors and administered to the 215 science teachers sampled nationwide. The study concluded that science teachers perceived that the two compulsory subjects, 'science education theories' and 'science teaching-learning materials and teaching methods' were not enough for a professional science teacher. Particularly, they consisently insisted that more practices under the relationship with teaching science in schools were necessary when learning subjects of science education. Based on science teachers' response, we recommended that the following 4 subjects should be added in the course of pre-service program for science teachers: 'Development of experiment/demonstration devices', 'Teaching creativity and education for the gifted in science', 'Development of science teaching materials', and 'Science inquiry learning and teaching'.