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Education Sciences
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Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training
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Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Teacher Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 7960

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Martin Rusek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Education, Charles University, 116 36 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: teacher training; pre-service teachers; professional vision; science education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many of the problems faced by contemporary society these days require a great deal of all-society action. Naturally, before people act, they need to be motivated and understand what the action means and what benefit it will have for themselves. From this point of view, even the biggest scientific breakthroughs will not help unless they are planted in correctly fertilized soil.

These conditions stress two important outcomes of science education: (1) curious generalists with at least neutral (but preferably positive) attitudes towards science, with the ability to distinguish science from pseudo-science and therefore critically evaluate scientific facts, and (2) students with ambition and also the abilities/skills to pursue a career in science.

Contemporary science education has been responding to this need for some time now, nevertheless, in a field as wide as this, it is easy to lose focus. There are three significant factors affecting the quality of science education: first, the functional curriculum belongs among the key pillars (under the condition that teachers actually follow it). Second, quality textbooks offer support to teachers as well as students, and third, the conditions in which teachers have to work. However, none of the aforementioned three impacts the product of our education unless utilized by a proficient teacher.

Teacher training research (in science) has been an issue for many decades now. There are many studies comparing national teacher training curricula, studies on professional vision development, or studies comparing teachers’ skills and knowledge to professionals. This Special Issue is a call for new ideas, new data and perspectives in science teacher training. We learnt a lot from the forced online teaching about students’ willingness to learn as well as many new teaching methods we had previous overlooked. This is, therefore, a chance to put these ideas together and shed light on the new, hopefully imminent, post-COVID-19 path.

Dr. Martin Rusek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at mdpi.longhoe.net by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • teacher training
  • pre-service teachers
  • professional vision
  • ability to notice

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 899 KiB  
Article
Investigating Language and Culture Awareness of Pre-Service Science Teachers in Ireland
by Ebru Eren and Catherine Martin
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070692 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 628
Abstract
Irish classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse across all levels of education due to the sustained inward migration of non-nationals to Ireland. These demographic changes have enriched the linguistic and cultural fabric of Irish society, including the educational landscape of Ireland. However, in addition [...] Read more.
Irish classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse across all levels of education due to the sustained inward migration of non-nationals to Ireland. These demographic changes have enriched the linguistic and cultural fabric of Irish society, including the educational landscape of Ireland. However, in addition to the value such diversity brings to Irish classrooms, there exist many challenges as the Irish education system needs to continue to adapt to develop more inclusive and language- and culture-sensitive pedagogical approaches. One of the ways in which the Irish educational system can respond to this challenge is through the adaptation of its pre-service science teacher education programmes to prepare teachers to teach in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. Therefore, it is important to investigate the needs of pre-service science teachers to inform updates to existing teacher education programmes to prepare future science teachers to meet this challenge. Consequently, this study has attempted to capture the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of current pre-service teachers regarding the role of language and culture in science teaching, awareness of the needs of students whose first language is not English or Irish and teachers’ knowledge of pedagogical strategies to develop language- and culture-sensitive science teaching approaches. Here, we report data from a survey of pre-service science teachers undertaking science teacher training at Irish universities at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The data highlight gaps in trainee teachers’ language awareness and their lack of pedagogical knowledge in dealing with language and cultural diversity in science classrooms. Implications for the future development of pre-service science teacher education programmes are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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26 pages, 3520 KiB  
Article
Between Symbols and Particles: Investigating the Complexity of Learning Chemical Equations
by Lucie Hamerská, Tadeáš Matěcha, Martina Tóthová and Martin Rusek
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060570 - 26 May 2024
Viewed by 455
Abstract
This study explores the pedagogical challenges in teaching chemical equations, focusing on the ability to balance chemical equations and understanding related basic chemical concepts among chemistry teacher students. Based on Johnstone’s representation theory, we examined the efficacy of digital tools designed to enhance [...] Read more.
This study explores the pedagogical challenges in teaching chemical equations, focusing on the ability to balance chemical equations and understanding related basic chemical concepts among chemistry teacher students. Based on Johnstone’s representation theory, we examined the efficacy of digital tools designed to enhance equation-balancing skills. The key findings of this study seem to be the disconnection between students’ procedural proficiency in balancing equations and their conceptual understanding of underlying chemical reactions. Surprising was the relatively low ability to balance chemical equations when compared to the expected level of upper-secondary school students. An analysis of the results showed that students could be distinguished into four different groups of solvers based on their total score and solving time: efficient, persistent, impulsive, and inefficient solvers. Utilizing an eye-tracking study, the findings reveal a predominant reliance on symbolic representations, with additional sub-microscopic representations provided by digital applets failing to significantly improve equation-balancing capabilities. This reliance potentially hinders students’ ability to conceptualize reactions at the particulate level, impacting overall chemistry comprehension. This study underscores the need for a pedagogical shift toward integrating multiple representations into chemical education to bridge the gap between procedural skills and deep conceptual understanding. By highlighting the limitations of current teaching approaches and the use of digital tools, this research contributes to improving chemical education strategies, fostering a more integrated and nuanced understanding of chemical principles among students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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16 pages, 4350 KiB  
Article
Examining the Science Design Skills Competency among Science Preservice Teachers in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Period
by Tafirenyika Mafugu
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040387 - 7 Apr 2024
Viewed by 893
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the competencies of 42 preservice science teachers from a rural university in crafting scientific investigations while utilising the constructivist learning theory as its theoretical foundation. Employing an explanatory sequential design, the research initially collected quantitative data through a [...] Read more.
The study aimed to investigate the competencies of 42 preservice science teachers from a rural university in crafting scientific investigations while utilising the constructivist learning theory as its theoretical foundation. Employing an explanatory sequential design, the research initially collected quantitative data through a pre-test, followed by an intervention in the experimental group, succeeded by a post-test phase. In order to enrich the quantitative findings, qualitative data in the form of student responses were analysed, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the preservice teachers’ proficiency in experimental design. Within the control group, no statistically significant variance emerged between the pre-test and post-test rankings, Z = −1.3, p = 0.190. In contrast, the experimental group exhibited noteworthy divergence. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test unveiled a substantial upsurge in post-test rankings when juxtaposed with the pre-test standings, Z = −4, p < 0.001. The qualitative data revealed that preservice teachers manifested a lack of familiarity with comprehension of the variables, strategies for ensuring investigation validity and reliability, and a coherent approach to gauging intervention impact. Emphasising the significance of these revelations, the study suggests plausible pathways for addressing these knowledge gaps via collaborative interventions, thus striving to effectively bridge the identified disparities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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14 pages, 1902 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Digital Teacher Education: Key Aspects for Bridging the Digital Divide and Improving the Teaching–Learning Process
by Sonia Val and Helena López-Bueno
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030321 - 18 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1622
Abstract
The quality of teacher education plays a key role in equip** students with the skills they need and it is important in avoiding learning inequalities. To bridge the digital divide and ensure that all students have equal access to technology and digital resources [...] Read more.
The quality of teacher education plays a key role in equip** students with the skills they need and it is important in avoiding learning inequalities. To bridge the digital divide and ensure that all students have equal access to technology and digital resources as well as advanced teaching–learning processes using digital tools, it is crucial to analyse the current state of teacher education in order to identify the key issues. The sample in this research consisted of 325 master of education students and in-service teachers studying at various universities (in Spain, Cyprus, and México) in the 2022–2023 academic year who filled out a questionnaire partly based on DigComEdu and this was expanded with questions relating to other digital and educational aspects. The findings reveal that there is potential for enhancement in many areas. Despite teachers having technical training associated with their profession, they lack the necessary training to overcome inequalities or digital gaps. Moreover, it is striking that those who are already working as teachers are the most pessimistic about aspects such as the use of digital resources, perhaps because of the difficulties they face in their daily work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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25 pages, 3640 KiB  
Article
Facilitating Preservice Biology Teacher Development through Material-Based Lesson Planning
by Maren Koberstein-Schwarz and Anke Meisert
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14010042 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1102
Abstract
Lesson planning is a core task for preservice teachers and simultaneously a major challenge due to the complexity of the planning process. This complexity can be reduced by using preselected teaching materials (material-based planning). To explore its potential, think-aloud protocols of material-based planning [...] Read more.
Lesson planning is a core task for preservice teachers and simultaneously a major challenge due to the complexity of the planning process. This complexity can be reduced by using preselected teaching materials (material-based planning). To explore its potential, think-aloud protocols of material-based planning on the topics of photosynthesis and digestion by 13 preservice biology teachers at a German university serve as the main data source. The data were coded using qualitative content analysis, whereby a superordinate distinction was made between core and secondary dimensions of lesson planning. The results reveal a focus on core dimensions such as instructional strategies (visible structures) and student understanding (deep structures), while secondary dimensions like reflecting task authenticity are comparatively rare. This shows the potential of material-based planning, which enables preservice teachers to concentrate on central planning dimensions due to a reduced workload. Further analysis of the code frequencies shows an imbalance between visible and deep structures, which is more commonly observed in the planning of photosynthesis and is interpreted as an indicator of students’ overload due to the complexity of the topic. Successful planning by preservice teachers is therefore dependent on both planning task and topic selection. Corresponding implications for teacher education are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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15 pages, 688 KiB  
Article
In-Service Teacher Education Program through an Educational Design Research Approach in the Framework of the 2030 Agenda
by Patrícia João, Maria Helena Henriques, Ana V. Rodrigues and Patrícia Sá
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13060584 - 8 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2357
Abstract
Science education plays a key role in promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through the training of informed and participatory citizens committed to the management of our planet and its resources. This work presents the design and assessment of an In-Service Teacher Education [...] Read more.
Science education plays a key role in promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through the training of informed and participatory citizens committed to the management of our planet and its resources. This work presents the design and assessment of an In-Service Teacher Education Program (ISTEP) through an Educational Design Research approach aiming at develo** skills that make it possible to operationalize the experimental practical teaching of science topics, within the scope of ESD, in an articulated, coherent, and progressive way throughout Basic Education. It was implemented with 14 teachers from the three cycles of Portuguese Basic Education (ages 6–15), and focused on “Soils”. An integrated set of activities and respective didactic resources were co-built (the trainer-researcher with the in-service teachers) with a progressive, systematic, and sequential vision of the “Soils” theme. The content analysis of the teachers’ answers to questionnaires and during the final reflection point to an improvement in their practices regarding the ability to plan and design didactic resources on science topics from a Sustainable Development perspective. This ISTEP can be adapted to other themes and educational contexts, namely through close cooperation on education issues, which is one of the lines of action of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Experiences in Science Teacher Training)
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