Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Developing Pedagogical Practices to Enhance Confidence and Competence in Science Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education

Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of this self-study research was to deepen my understanding of pedagogy for teacher education and the factors that enhanced and hindered my confidence and competence as a teacher educator. I recorded my impressions and descriptions of events, discussions, and interpretations as a result of studying my practice in an electronic journal. Student teachers’ responses to questionnaires, peer evaluation guidelines, and interviews provided alternative views about the efficacy of my pedagogy. Data collection and analysis was a hermeneutic and recursive process revealing emergent themes. One theme was that a focus on science content knowledge gave a false sense of confidence and overshadowed our ability to engage in meaningful conversations about learning to teach—a practice challenged through self-study research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alderman, M. K. (1999). Motivation for achievement: Possibilities for teaching and learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appleton, K. (2008). Developing science pedagogical content knowledge through mentoring elementary teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 19, 523–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appleton, K., & Kindt, I. (2002). Beginning elementary teachers’ development as teachers of science. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 13, 43–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry, A. (2007). Tensions in teaching about teaching. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, G. (2005). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantrell, P., Young, S., & Moore, A. (2003). Factors affecting science teaching efficacy of preservice elementary teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 14, 177–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Education ReviewOffice. (2004). The quality of teaching in years 4 and 8 in science. Wellington, NZ: Education Review Office, Education Evaluation Reports.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, J. D. (2001). A dilemma in reforming science teacher education: Responding to students’ concerns or striving for higher standards. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12, 253–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garbett, D. (2007). Science teacher education: Fostering confidence and competence. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Monash University: Melbourne, Australia.

  • Garbett, D. (2011). Constructivism deconstructed in science teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(6), Article 3. Available at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol36/iss6/3.

  • Ham, V., & Kane, R. (2004). Finding a way through the swamp: A case for self-study as research. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (Vol. 1, pp. 103–150). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Harlen, W. (1997). Primary teachers’ understanding in science and its impact in the classroom. Research in Science Education, 27, 323–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holly, M. L. (1989). Writing to grow: Keeping a personal-professional journal. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. (2000). Rethinking the elementary science methods course: A case for content, pedagogy, and informal science education. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 755–777.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, K. P., & Wiseman, D. L. (2001). Comparing science efficacy beliefs of elementary education majors in integrated and non-integrated teacher education coursework. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 12, 143–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LaBoskey, V. K. (2004). The methodology of self-study and its theoretical underpinnings. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (Vol. 2, pp. 817–869). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (2004). A handbook for teacher research from design to implementation. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassonde, C. A., Galman, S., & Kosnik, C. (2009). Self-study research methodologies for teacher educators. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Long, D. T., & Stuart, C. (2004). Supporting higher levels of reflection among teacher candidates: A pedagogical framework. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 10, 275–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loughran, J. J., Hamilton, M. L., LaBoskey, V. K., & Russell, T. (Eds.). (2004). International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowery, V. N. (2002). Construction of teacher knowledge in context: Preparing elementary teachers to teach mathematics and science. School Science and Mathematics, 102, 68–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGookin, M. (2002). I can’t let them down!: Affiliative motivation and cooperative learning in higher education. Proceedings of the 2002 Annual International conference of the higher education research and development society of Australia (pp. 417–425). Perth, WA.

  • Mitchell, C., & Weber, S. (2005). Just who do we think we are…and how do we know this? In C. Mitchell, S. Weber, & K. O’Reilly-Scanlon (Eds.), Just who do we think we are? Methodologies for autobiography and self-study in teaching (pp. 1–9). London, England: Routledge Falmer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, C. B. (2002). Can self-study challenge the belief that telling, showing, and guided practice constitute adequate teacher education? In J. J. Loughran & T. Russell (Eds.), Improving teacher education practices through self-study (pp. 130–142). London, England: Routledge Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, R., & Freyberg, P. (1985). Learning in science: The implications of children’s science. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, D. H. (2001). Factors contributing to attitude exchange amongst preservice elementary teachers. Science Teacher Education, 86, 122–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, D. H. (2006). Sources of self-efficacy in a science education methods course for primary teacher education students. Research in Science Education, 36, 337–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preece, P. F. W. (2004). Investigating the ‘failure of further learning’ effect in preservice science teacher education. International Journal of Science Education, 26, 805–820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, T., & Loughran, J. (Eds.). (2007). Enacting a pedagogy of teacher education values, relationships, and practices. London, England: RoutledgeFalmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samaras, A. P. (2011). Self-study teacher research: Improving your practice through collaborative inquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samaras, A. P., & Freese, A. R. (2009). Looking back and looking forward: An historical overview of the self-study school. In C. A. Lassonde, S. Galman, & C. Kosnik (Eds.), Self-study research methodologies for teacher educators (pp. 3–19). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schagen, S., & Hipkins, R. (2008). Curriculum changes, priorities, and issues. Findings from the NZCER secondary 2006 and primary 2007 national surveys. Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shallcross, T., & Spink, E. (2002). How primary trainee teachers perceive the development of their own scientific knowledge: Links between confidence, content, and competence? International Journal of Science Education, 24, 1293–1312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shepard, L. (2001). The role of classroom assessment in teaching and learning. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (4th ed., pp. 1066–1101). Washington, DC: American Education Research Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory method, and research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Symington, D., & Kirkwood, V. (1995). Science in the primary school classroom. In B. Hand & V. Prain (Eds.), Teaching and learning in science: The constructivist classroom (pp. 193–207). Sydney, NSW: Harcourt Brace & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tidwell, D., & Fitzgerald, L. M. (2004). Self-study as teaching. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self- study of teaching and teacher education practices (Vol. 1, pp. 69–103). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Trumbull, D. (2004). Factors important for the scholarship of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (Vol. 2, pp. 1211–1230). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Watters, J. J., & Ginns, I. S. (2000). Developing motivation to teach elementary science: Effect of collaborative and authentic learning practices in preservice education. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 11, 301–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf-Watz, M. (2000). Student teachers’ beliefs about science. Journal of Inservice Education, 26, 403–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeichner, K. (1999). The new scholarship in teacher education. Educational Researcher, 28(9), 4–15.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge my critical friends John Loughran and Alan Ovens for their unwavering support and to thank the reviewers and Liz McKinley for their constructive feedback and helpful advice.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92601, Symonds Street, Auckland, 1150, New Zealand

    Dawn Garbett

Authors
  1. Dawn Garbett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dawn Garbett.

About this article

Cite this article

Garbett, D. Developing Pedagogical Practices to Enhance Confidence and Competence in Science Teacher Education. J Sci Teacher Educ 22, 729–743 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9258-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-011-9258-8

Keywords

search

Navigation