scholarly journals Knowledge, Monitoring, and Beliefs: A Comparative Analysis among Preservice Teachers from Three Different STEM-focused Programs

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Margareta Maria Thomson ◽  
John L. Nietfeld
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Belief System ◽  
Teaching Efficacy ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Science Content ◽  
Science Content Knowledge ◽  
And Mathematics

In the current study, we investigated how preservice teachers (N = 242) from three different teacher-training programs with a STEM focus, namely the Elementary Education (ELM), Science Education, and Mathematics Education, compare with respect to science content knowledge, metacognitive monitoring, and their belief system. Findings revealed that the ELM preservice teachers reported higher levels of science reformed beliefs (e.g., constructivist instruction), but low science content knowledge and teaching efficacy beliefs. Alternatively, Science Education students exhibited the highest levels of content knowledge, accurate monitoring, and higher teaching efficacy beliefs. Implications for teacher education programs with a STEM training focus are discussed.

PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS’ SCIENCE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE: A CASE OF LITHUANIA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincentas Lamanauskas ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
School Science ◽  
Science Content ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Science Content Knowledge

Primary school teachers’ science competence remains a highly relevant theoretical and practical problem. Although the general curricula and educational standards of Lithuanian general education school set quite high requirements for the process of primary school science education, the science competence of teachers raises reasonable concerns. It has to be stated that in university primary education study programmes, insufficient attention is paid to the natural science component. This leads to a possible lack of preparation for pre-service primary school teachers in science education. A pilot study conducted at the beginning of 2020, in which 107 students from two Lithuanian universities participated, showed that their scientific knowledge was poor and insufficient. Particularly weak was subject knowledge from the field “Nature research”, and also knowledge related to animate and inanimate nature. An assumption can be made that science literacy of pre-service primary education teachers is not sufficiently developed at university, which is one of the factors limiting the quality of children’s science education. There are probably two main reasons for this situation: insufficient science education in general education schools, and insufficient training of students in the field of science education for pre-service primary school teachers. Keywords: quantitative research, pilot research, pre-service teachers, science content knowledge, university students

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