Improving preservice middle grades science teachers: understanding of the nature of science using three instructional approaches.

Authors

Eulsun Seung
Lynn A. Bryan
Malcolm B. Butler

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science (NOS) as a result of four activity-based interventions that represent three instructional approaches used in a middle grades science methods course. Ten participants' understanding of NOS and their perceptions about the activity-based interventions were investigated. Data were collected using open-ended questionnaires and in-depth interviews before and after the interventions. Written artifacts and recorded group discussions were collected during the interventions. The results of this study showed that inclusion of various approaches to teaching NOS can contribute to developing preservice teachers' understanding of NOS. The activities complemented each other in the teaching of the NOS components. In addition, the preservice teachers perceived that the four interventions were helpful in improving their understanding of NOS and in preparing them for future teaching.

Comments

Post-print manuscript. The final version is available at http://www.springerlink.com. Published in Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20, 157-177. doi: 10.1007/s10972-009-9130-2

Language

en_US

Publisher

Kluwer Academic Publishers

Recommended Citation

Seung, E., Bryan, L.A. & Butler, M.B. (2009). Improving preservice middle grades science teachers: understanding of the nature of science using three instructional approaches. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20, 157-177.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.