Abstract
This article builds on a previous pilot study (Corrigan & Taylor, 2004) that explored the implementation of a program of self-regulated learning (SRL) with a small group of pre-service teachers in an elementary science course. A first year cohort of pre-service teachers was exposed to a thirteen week, two-staged program of self-regulated learning in science education. The program offered students a significant amount of flexibility and freedom in what they investigated and how they did so, in conjunction with ongoing support when required. Nineteen students were interviewed prior to and after completing the program. By the end of the program, the majority of students involved in the study reported a more positive attitude to science and significantly enhanced confidence in their ability to teach elementary science. Although difficult to measure, students believed that they were more competent to teach primary science. Furthermore, they were able to identify aspects of the SRL environment that had contributed to this change in attitude.
Résumé
La littérature cite de nombreux exemples qui montrent que le manque d’enthousiasme des enseignants pour les sciences et leur manque de confiance en eux à la perspective d’enseigner les matières scientifiques ont eu un impact négatif sur l’enseignement des sciences à l’école primaire. Pour contrer cet état de fait, on a mis sur pied des programmes d’apprentissage centrés sur l’étudiant, fondés sur la recherche participative et la collaboration, qui, dans le cas des enseignants en formation, a contribué à améliorer leur niveau d’assurance et à développer des attitudes positives devant l’enseignement des sciences. Un environnement d’apprentissage auto réglementé s’est avéré favorable à un changement d’attitude et, dans ce sens, est considéré comme approprié pour les enseignants en formation visés par cette recherche.
De façon générale, les objectifs de l’étude étaient les suivants: valider ultérieurement l’hypothèse que les environnements d’apprentissage ouverts contribuent à la confiance en soi des futurs enseignants devant la perspective d’enseigner les sciences; déterminer si ce type d’environnement a une influence positive sur la connaissance des contenus et sur les compétences pédagogiques des futurs enseignants; mieux cerner les exigences spécifiques nécessaires pour promouvoir l’apprentissage auto réglementé chez les étudiants des niveaux supérieurs.
Cette étude s’inscrit dans la lignée d’un projet pilote précédent (Corrigan et Taylor, 2004) qui expérimentait un programme d’apprentissage auto réglementé auprès d’un petit groupe de futurs enseignants qui suivaient un cours de didactique des sciences au primaire. Une cohorte de futurs enseignants en première année de formation a participé à un programme d’apprentissage auto réglementé en didactique des sciences d’une durée de treize semaines. Le programme laissait aux étudiants une grande latitude aussi bien pour ce qui est des sujets scientifiques à étudier que pour la façon de procéder, et offrait en outre un soutien continu lorsque nécessaire. Dix-neuf étudiants ont été interviewés avant et après leur participation au programme. Avant le début du programme, on leur a demandé de raconter ce qu’ils pen-. saient des cours de sciences et de technologies qu’ils avaient suivi à l’école secondaire. Dans les entrevues réalisées à la fin du projet, on leur a demandé ce qu’ils pensaient de l’environnement d’apprentissage au cours du projet et de l’impact éventuel de ce programme sur leur niveau d’assurance et de motivation devant la perspective d’enseigner les sciences.
À la fin du programme la plupart des participants affirmaient avoir changé d’attitude devant les sciences et qu’ils se sentaient maintenant plus sûrs d’eux à l’idée d’enseigner les sciences au primaire. Bien qu’il soit difficile de le mesurer avec précision, les étudiants affirmaient également qu’ils se sentaient plus compétents pour enseigner les sciences au primaire. De plus, ils étaient en mesure d’identifier certains aspects de l’environnement d’apprentissage ayant contribué à ce changement d’attitude.
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Taylor, N., Corrigan, G. Empowerment and Confidence: Pre-service Teachers Learning to Teach Science through a Program of Self-Regulated Learning. Can J Sci Math Techn 5, 41–60 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1080/14926150509556643
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14926150509556643