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“Before teaching this I'd do a lot of reading” preparing primary student teachers to teach science

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Abstract

The subject knowledge primary teachers have as a basis for their teaching of science has become a major concern in preservice and inservice education in many countries, including Australia, the UK and the USA. There are differing views among policy makers, teacher educators and student teachers about precisely what primary teachers need to know and how they are best prepared for teaching science. This article reports an investigation into the science content and pedagogic content knowledge of student teachers a university in the UK. Many students said that when approaching a real teaching situation they would be able to prepare themselves adequately by independent research using published sources. The data from this study revealed that half the group of students were able to do so with guidance although their initial background knowledge of science was weak. Implications for the preparation of primary student teachers are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Science Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Crescent Campus, S210 2BP, Sheffield, England

    Robin G. Smith

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  1. Robin G. Smith
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Correspondence to Robin G. Smith.

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Smith, R.G. “Before teaching this I'd do a lot of reading” preparing primary student teachers to teach science. Research in Science Education 27, 141–154 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02463038

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