Addressing the Professional Preparation of Future Science Teachers To Teach Hands-On Science: A Pilot Study of a Laboratory Model

摘要

Research has shown that even when students complete a chemistry-degree program and the pedagogical course requirements necessary for teacher licensure, they may still graduate and begin teaching without a firm grasp of how to teach specific chemistry concepts (1). Science is, by its nature, a hands-on, inquiry-based discipline, but although this approach is acknowledged as being fundamental to the teaching of science, many secondary-school science teachers have limited knowledge of how to design, run, and maintain effective teaching laboratories (2-4). Although preservice sec-ondary-level science teachers are required to take courses in pedagogy and learning theory, what is learned in a formal instructional setting does not appear to translate well to a laboratory setting.