Science Methods Course Research Articles

Implementing Equitable Practice-Based Teacher Education to Advance Rural STEM Teacher Candidates’ Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

This longitudinal three-year study explored implementation of practice-based teacher preparation incorporating high-leverage teaching practices to advance PCK. Participants included teacher candidates (n = 45) who completed elementary science and mathematics methods courses at a rural Midwestern university. Students engaged in teaching rehearsals to explore STEM concepts and equitable teaching practices. Data from surveys and student reflections revealed an increase in teacher candidates' perceptions of their knowledge and competence of teaching science and math content equitably.

Implementing Equitable Practice-Based Teacher Education to Advance Rural STEM Teacher Candidates’ Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

This longitudinal three-year study explored implementation of practice-based teacher preparation incorporating high-leverage teaching practices to advance PCK. Participants included teacher candidates (n = 45) who completed elementary science and mathematics methods courses at a rural Midwestern university. Students engaged in teaching rehearsals to explore STEM concepts and equitable teaching practices. Data from surveys and student reflections revealed an increase in teacher candidates' perceptions of their knowledge and competence of teaching science and math content equitably.

“I Thought That They Were Very Cut and Dry”: Preservice Elementary Science Teachers Learning About and Learning with Models and Modeling

ABSTRACT While recent research has examined students’ and teachers’ understanding of models and modeling, few studies have focused on how teacher educators can support preservice elementary science teachers in envisioning enriched learning processes and outcomes for their students while engaging in modeling practices. Informed by reflective practices through a case-based pedagogy, this qualitative case study investigated how preservice teachers take up learning about and learning with models and modeling practices as a multimodal knowledge-building process and reflect on their understanding of models and modeling in science education. This study is not just about teachers’ understanding of models and modeling; it is about cultivating a broader perspective, acknowledging the multiplicities of modalities that modelers bring to the table in their engagement with modeling practices. Conducted in a science methods course at a southeastern U.S. research university, this study used various qualitative data sources, including teachers’ written reflective responses to a case and commentary about a modeling-based lesson, modeling artifacts, and the video and audio recordings of the modeling-based lesson that was part of their methods course. Discussion of the findings highlights how reflective practices through a case-based pedagogy can expose preservice teachers to a better understanding of what meaningful and equitable modeling practices might look like in classroom settings by showing them what models are for, how they function, who gets to develop models, and whose knowledge contributes to modeling practices while building knowledge in science classrooms.

Towards an Integrated Model for Orienting Preservice Science Teachers for 21st-Century Teaching

This conceptual paper builds the case for orienting preservice science teachers for 21<sup>st</sup>-century teaching on a footing of Miller et al. (2013) framework for science teacher preparation called the Model of Research-Based Education for Teachers (MORE for Teachers). MORE for Teachers frames science teacher preparation as anchored on four pillars: in-depth subject matter, research-based science teaching methods, guided practicum, and a shared vision of the pedagogy of science learning. Based on the limitations of Miller et al.'s linear model yet still maintaining the value of its central tenets the paper proposes a model that is interactive and framing standards in science teaching, curriculum development, rigorous content, research-based science methods course, and quality field experiences as the essential aspects for producing teacher candidates with the right skills for science teaching. The paper argues that pre-service science teachers (PSTs) development in teacher education colleges and universities requires a framework for harmonization that ensures consideration of all the necessary ingredients for science teacher preparation. Drawing on a diversity of literature sources on science teacher education the paper discusses the application of the proposed model in Zimbabwe, illustrating the importance of detailed methods courses, rigorous science content, expert mentoring, personal teaching philosophy, and a consideration of international trends in science teaching.  In conclusion, the paper recommends other contexts in which the integrated model for science teacher preparation can be used and some steps for its practical implementation.

Nature of science conceptions and argumentation skills in different socioscientific contexts

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the consistency of nature of science (NOS) conceptions and argumentation skills among undergraduate student teachers across different socioscientific issues (SSI) contexts. The participants included 80 undergraduate student teachers enrolled in a science methods course at six different universities in Lebanon. The study used a quantitative and qualitative design to compare the responses of students related to NOS and argumentation across different SSI contexts. Two data collection tools were used: questionnaires and interviews. The first questionnaire was a topic knowledge one and the second questionnaire included three scenarios that addressed SSI contexts about water fluoridation, global warming, and genetically modified food. Two sets of questions followed each scenario. The first set concentrated on the components of argumentation (arguments, counterarguments, and rebuttals), while the other set focused on three emphasised NOS aspects (subjective, tentative, and empirical). Results showed that there were differences in the levels of student teachers’ sophistication regarding the argumentation components and NOS aspects across the different contexts. Recommendations for future research and implications for the teaching of NOS and arguments are discussed.

Teacher Candidate Learning of Interdisciplinary Controversial Issues: Linking Social Studies and Science in the Elementary School Curriculum

ABSTRACT Teaching controversial issues poses challenges for teacher candidates, stemming from apprehensions about potential backlash and gaps in content and pedagogical knowledge. The prevailing emphasis on tested subjects such as mathematics and reading/writing in elementary school education often sidelines social studies and science, limiting opportunities for candidates to engage with these disciplines and their associated instructional strategies, including addressing controversial topics. Integrating social studies and science with other subject areas emerges as a viable approach to ensure comprehensive education. Teacher education coursework serves as a vital platform for exposing educators to interdisciplinary curriculum design and implementation. Such exposure prompts teacher candidates to reevaluate their preconceptions and practices concerning controversial issues. This article examines teacher candidate learning, contextualized within Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Content Knowledge (IPCK), during a two-week unit on interdisciplinary instruction that integrates social studies and science through controversial topics across two semesters of elementary school social studies and science methods courses. While findings reveal a perceptible shift in attitudes toward teaching controversy, the limited exposure to such issues in prior educational experiences impedes candidates’ ability to develop curricula reflective of this evolving perspective.

Exploring the Development of Preservice Teachers’ Visions of Equity through Science and Mathematics Integration

AbstractThis paper details an integrated inquiry-based mathematics and science method course for preservice teachers designed around STEM problem-based learning. It documents how problem-based learning (PBL) activities supported PSTs’ envisioning of equitable approaches for diverse children. The overarching research question was: How did preservice teacher learning and lesson design experiences within integrated STEM inquiry translate to their vision of equity-based STEM practice? The data included PSTs course reflections, STEM PBL 5E units, and reflections as they watched recordings of their teaching their units. This facilitated mapping the development of PSTs’ vision for equitable teaching across the field mediated experiences in teaching and learning STEM. Our findings revealed how visions of equitable STEM practices emerged from the PST's own experience as being a learner in an integrated STEM environment and from being a teacher who planned and enacted an equity focused STEM unit in a diverse classroom context. The dual teacher-learner experience of the mediated field experience was critically important to provide experiencing and witnessing the high level of motivation during the meaning-making process and provided evidence that rigorous math and science learning is possible in diverse contexts.

Classroom Learning Environment and Action Research in a Science Methods Course for Preservice Elementary Teachers

ABSTRACT This study examined the impact of action research conducted by five science teaching methods course instructors on their students’ perceptions of the classroom learning environments at a large public university in Texas. The study analyzed the results from 133 students who completed two administrations of the What is Happening in this Class (WIHIC) questionnaire, one at the beginning of the semester and one at the end of the semester. Five sections served as a treatment group while two sections served as a control. Quantitative analyses, including one-way ANOVA, were conducted for each class section. Results showed that the perceived learning environment increased between the beginning of the semester and the end of the semester for all sections. However, the most significant gains in students’ perceptions were made in the treatment sections and were attributed to the action research interventions that were designed and implemented by the instructors based on the analyses of the first WIHIC administration.

Exploring a practice‐based approach to elementary preservice science teacher preparation

AbstractThe science methods course model presented here, called an immersed methods course (IMC), engaged preservice elementary teachers in reform‐based science instructional approaches within authentic classroom settings and with elementary students in a guided format. Questions guiding the study were: (1) Did participation in the IMC model impact preservice teachers (PTs') science teaching self‐efficacy? (2) Which science methods course model activities/experiences did PTs identify as the most impactful on their science teaching? (3) How did participation in the IMC model impact PTs' understandings of science teaching? Participants were 138 elementary PTs from a Southeastern United States university. Data were collected from seven course sections over 3 years and included pre/post science teaching self‐efficacy survey data, post written responses, and interviews. Member checking approaches were also used to refine and establish the validity of findings. Researchers completed qualitative data analysis, which was complimented by quantitative statistical analysis. Findings across data sources suggest participation positively influenced PTs' science teaching self‐efficacy and beliefs about the effectiveness of the instructional approaches. Participation also helped PTs apply theories to practice and develop competency using the practices. Findings highlight how the IMC model mitigates constraints associated with current science teacher preparation approaches.

Characterizing engagement in the science practices: A study of preservice elementary teachers

AbstractPreservice elementary teachers enter their science methods courses with a range of prior experience with science practice. Those prior experiences likely inform much of their science pedagogy and goals. In this study, the authors examine how a cohort of preservice elementary teachers engaged in science practice as they learned content in a physics course. Drawing on course documents, videorecords, and artifacts from in‐class lab work and interviews with nine participants, the authors used an asset‐based, mixed methods approach. The authors developed rubrics to assess the level of sophistication the participants used while engaging in science practice on a scale of 1 (pre‐novice) to 4 (experienced). They used descriptive statistics and ANOVA's to interpret the performance of the participants in addition to grounded theory open coding of interviews to determine the participants' level of prior experience with science practice. The findings suggest that these preservice teachers primarily engaged in science practices at a novice level. In general, their sophistication scores on the rubric aligned with their prior experience. The findings suggest that while one content course steeped in science practice was not enough to significantly change preservice teachers' engagement, it can provide a needed starting place and that it likely takes time to develop these skills. The findings have implications for both teacher educators and researchers who hope to increase the use of science practice as a method of learning science content.

Addressing Climate Change Anomie in Teacher Education

This research project sought to understand how preservice teachers explore their relationship with Science and confidence in teaching about climate change in Science education amid a culture of denial regarding the impact of the climate crisis. Using data from three cohorts of students in an elementary Science methods course, this paper shares the context of climate change acceptance in the province of Alberta, Canada, the fossil fuel economic hub of Canada, and how using Journell’s framework for controversial issues alongside a critical energy literacy framework using inquiry, supported preservice teachers to address their hesitancy in Science classrooms to engage with climate change education. Science education also needs to shift as our energy and economies need to shift in response to the climate crisis. Preservice teachers, therefore, need to be supported in this transition by better understanding their relationship with Science and how to respond to the climate crisis within regions that do not necessarily support renewable or sustainable forms of energy, such as Alberta, Canada.

Engaging kindergarten pre-service teachers in the design and implementation of STEM lessons

IntroductionEngaging young students in integrated STEM early on can support them to develop their competences linked to problem solving and critical thinking. Despite the importance of STEM education in younger ages, teachers still lack the skills and competences to implement STEM in their classes. The purpose of this study is to explore how pre-service kindergarten teachers (PSTs) understand STEM education, how they design lesson plans to teach STEM and how they implement STEM in their teaching.MethodsParticipants of the study were 21, 3rd, and 4th year students studying to become kindergarten teachers. The participants of the current study attended a Science Methods Course for Kindergarten which is a 36 h long course. Data collected included questionnaires, reflections, lesson plans, interviews, and classroom observations.ResultsFindings for the first research question reveal that kindergarten PSTs were not familiar with STEM education and did not have any previous experience with STEM education either as school students or during their studies at the university. Another important finding is that teachers’ views on STEM education improved after the theoretical introduction to STEM, but considerable improvement and understanding of STEM education was evident after they engaged as learners in a STEM lesson specially designed for kindergarten students.DiscussionFindings from the lesson plans designed by the PSTs showed that when working in groups PSTs designed lessons which offered integration between two subjects, mainly math and science. Finally, when implementing STEM lessons PSTs had similar difficulties as when designing lessons. Additionally, PSTs reported that they did not have support from their mentors, or their mentors did not act as role models during the implementation of their designs. What this study supports is the need for teacher preparation programs to prepare kindergarten teachers in understanding what STEM is, but also supporting them in the process of designing and implementing STEM lessons. Implications from this study include the design of a teacher training course to support PSTs during their studies and in their early career, but also include mentors as part of the training course to support them to act as positive role models.

Teacher candidates’ views of future SSI instruction: a multiple case study

The instructional approach of incorporating socioscientific issues (SSI) into science teaching has been found to improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills among K-12 students. Preparation for how to facilitate SSI in the classroom, however, is limited, resulting in very few classrooms across the United States providing opportunities for K-12 students to grapple with these real-world problems. In this manuscript we compare the integration of socioscientific issues (SSI) within two different undergraduate course contexts: a science methods course that is part of an elementary educator preparation program and a science content course designed for secondary future educators. Through this comparison we aim to provide science education researchers and science teacher educators with empirical support related to how the delivery of SSI influences elementary to secondary teacher candidates’ views of SSI as they relate to student engagement, teacher effectiveness, and curricula. Leveraging a mixed methods case study approach, data from each course context were collected through Likert-type surveys and open-ended responses. Findings suggest exposure to SSI pedagogies in science methods and content courses influence teacher candidates’ views in different ways and we must consider field and course-based work occurring simultaneously while teacher candidates are learning about SSI-based instruction. Implications for this are discussed.

Pre-service elementary teachers’ science and engineering teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy: exploring the impacts of efficacy source experiences through varying course modalities

BackgroundTeacher efficacy is one of the most influential components for effective instruction, highlighting the importance of providing preservice teachers (PSTs) with opportunities to learn how to teach engineering during their college preparatory coursework. Making space for engineering instruction within science methods coursework could provide opportunities for PSTs to enhance their engineering teaching efficacy but also requires course instructors to give up some time previously devoted to science-focused instruction. The purpose of the current study was to explore how infusing engineering learning opportunities into a science methods course impacts PSTs’ engineering and science teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy.ResultsPre/post-surveys were completed by PSTs enrolled in a Kindergarten-8th grade science methods course offered in four modalities (i.e., face-to-face, hybrid, online, rapid shift online). The course offered multiple engineering-focused learning activities and vicarious experiences. PSTs’ science teaching efficacy beliefs, engineering teaching efficacy beliefs, science teaching outcome expectancy, and engineering teaching outcome expectancy all significantly increased from pre- to post-test. There was no significant difference between efficacy gains based on course modality. The purposeful inclusion of multiple engineering activities and vicarious experiences allows for significant gains in science and engineering teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy regardless of the modality in which the course is taken.ConclusionsThis study shows that having varied efficacy source experiences while learning engineering design can result in increased efficacy, even in the absence of field experience and face-to-face coursework, and that the inclusion of these engineering experiences with science methods coursework does not detract from enhancing science teaching efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancy. Further research is needed to more closely examine individual components of science methods courses and the impacts each component has when implemented using different course modalities.

An examination of an inquiry-based hybrid online/in-person science methods course

ABSTRACT This study explored elementary teacher candidates’ perceptions of a hybrid (in-person/asynchronous online) science methods course and aimed to uncover how this blended approach could maximise the benefits of each modality. Grounded in the foundations of Dewey’s experiential learning theory with a focus on an inclusive approach to course design, this study employed a qualitative methodology to investigate the experiences of teacher candidates. Data sources from two elementary science methods course sections included focus groups, pre-and post-surveys, and weekly reflections. Emergent themes were analysed to delve deeply into teacher candidates’ perceptions of the course. Affordances of the online and in-person modalities included flexibility (online), hands-on learning, and peer interactions (in-person). Self-discipline and pacing were key challenges of online learning, and in-person challenges were minimal. Teacher candidates shared the value of the hybrid model, highlighting the benefit of blended online and in-person modalities and the various strategies employed to support the hybrid approach for engaging in inquiry-based science. These included consistent and organised formatting, digital science notebooks, taking student and teacher perspectives, and connecting online and in-person course sessions. Recommendations are offered for an accessible hybrid science methods course through the lens of experiential instruction.

Improving Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy through Garden-Based Technology Integration

School gardens and outdoor learning spaces are increasingly available to support authentic, student-centered exploration in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Integrating technology tools into school garden spaces in alignment with modern agricultural practices can support inquiry-based learning in which students engage in science practices such as collecting and analyzing data. However, educators currently lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and instructional support to enact technology-rich, garden-based STEM learning experiences. The Garden TOOLS program was designed to support teachers in leveraging technology to support inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in outdoor learning spaces. In this paper, we examine the impact of combining Garden TOOLS professional development workshops with lesson plan implementation in a practicum setting on elementary pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) science teaching self-efficacy. We administered the STEBI-B pre- and post-intervention and assessed change in the STEBI-B subscales, personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE), and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). Participants included thirty-nine elementary PSTs enrolled in a 300-level science methods course in the rural Midwest. Garden TOOLS professional development workshop participants saw a statistically significant increase from pre- to post-workshop in their PSTE. Participants who also implemented the Garden TOOLS lesson showed both an increase in PSTE and STOE.

Engaging pre-service teachers enrolled in science methods course in teaching through social contextualization of science

The recent global pandemic, the spread of artificial intelligence technology, and the constant threats of climate change are just examples of ways in which our lives and the issues we face are intricately linked with science and technology and highlight the need for improving our education system to allow for developing an informed and engaged citizenry. The preparation of teachers and successfully equipping them to plan and implement socially relevant and contextualized science lessons is a critical step in achieving this goal. In this article, I provide lucid and detailed account of my approach and describe possible ways of incorporating immersive and experiential learning opportunities within methods courses and teacher professional development to help pre and in-service teachers recognize the significance of socially contextualized science, and by extension STEM instruction, as well as prepare and support them in planning and implementing such an approach in their own classrooms. The components and examples discussed are suitable for elementary and secondary methods courses and professional development and would similarly be ideal and applicable for implementation in K-12 classrooms.

Measuring Science-Teaching Affect: First Results on the Science Teaching Emotions Scales (Sci-TES)

ABSTRACT Research and national surveys show that deficiencies in elementary science teaching preparation are frustratingly persistent. Understanding positive and negative emotions as they relate to planning and teaching science is relevant for both the well-being of teachers and the quality of their teaching. There needs to be more empirical evidence on how teachers feel about teaching science and how these feelings impact their teaching, partially because research on scales for assessing science-specific emotions has lagged the efforts in other fields. This article presents a pilot study in developing the Science Teaching Emotions Scales (Sci-TES) to address this issue. Sci-TES is based on the Teacher Emotions Scales (TES) and consists of four-item scales for three emotions considered most relevant in teaching: enjoyment, anger, and anxiety. Using data collected from 185 elementary teacher candidates, we tested the Sci-TES for internal validity. The scales proved generally reliable, and confirmatory factor analysis supported internal validity by showing that the three-factor model (enjoyment, anger, and anxiety) was superior to single-factor and two-factor models. As such, the Sci-TES shows promise as a tool to be used in science content or methods courses for teacher candidates.

Using Notebooks to Explicitly Distinguish Multiple Perspectives in the Elementary Science Methods Course

Using Notebooks to Explicitly Distinguish Multiple Perspectives in the Elementary Science Methods Course

Interactive word walls for 3D learning: Visually representing the NGSS in elementary science methods courses

AbstractEven though the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were released over a decade ago, science is still infrequently taught in early childhood and elementary classrooms. A lack of teacher confidence due to inadequate content knowledge may be a contributing factor, making access to high‐quality elementary science methods courses even more imperative. This article highlights preservice elementary teachers’ use of an interactive word wall, an instructional strategy that explicitly documented their experiences with disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. Students enrolled in four undergraduate elementary science methods sections participated in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of their classroom's interactive word wall. Through written assignments, classroom discussions, and photographic documentation, students helped to identify seven benefits of using this strategy while collaboratively building their interactive word walls. This article describes the process of setting up the word walls, the students’ choices during the construction of the walls, and their reflections on the benefits and challenges associated with using an interactive word wall at the university level. This article provides teacher educators with a strategy to strengthen students’ understanding of the NGSS framework and encourages preservice teachers to reflect upon how to use this strategy in their future classrooms.