• Journal of Science Education
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.225-237
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of elementary pre-service teachers regarding their interest in science. A survey was conducted among 187 elementary pre-service teachers enrolled at Non-Metropolitan Area A University of Education. Data collection was carried out concurrently with three elementary pre-service teachers who agreed to participate in online interviews. The survey responses provided by the elementary pre-service teachers were analyzed using a qualitative text analysis method. Interest in science was observed to decrease during middle school, followed by the upper grades of elementary school and then the lower grades. The reasons for the decline in interest in science were interpreted as stemming from negative experiences with science education within the context of individual circumstances in the school setting. Strategies to address the decline and enhance interest in science were discussed across individual, family, school, teacher, local community, and national levels, considering both short-term and long-term perspectives. These strategies encompassed various inquiry activities and experiences related to the field of science, engagement in science-related activities, student-centered instruction, teacher professional development, support for elementary students and teachers, and policy measures. The multifaceted approach and efforts aimed to open avenues for positive feedback regarding science on an individual level and foster experiences related to science were interpreted as part of an effort to counteract the decline in interest in science. Lastly, given the current situation of declining interest in science and the need to enhance students' interest, it was implicitly and explicitly discussed that pre-service teachers should focus on improving their expertise in curriculum instruction. This research, by exploring the conceptual characteristics of interest in science, perceptions of changes, and educational needs related to interest in science among elementary pre-service teachers, is expected to have academic significance as foundational research data for the current status of declining interest in science.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.179-194
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• 2024

The aim of this study was to explore how a novice science teacher's epistemological framing, characterized from her modeling instruction, evolved over time. We observed that the teachers' framing changed over time, as she collaborated with researchers to plan, facilitate, and reflect on a series of lessons to support students' small-group scientific modeling. We tried to understand how such experiences contributed to the changes in her framing. One 8th grade science teacher with two years of teaching experience participated in the study. The teacher collaborated with researchers for four months to co-plan and facilitate 18 lessons that included small-group scientific modeling. She also engaged in cogenerative reflection on the lessons for 13 times. All of her lessons and reflections were video-recorded, transcribed, and qualitatively analyzed for the purpose of the study. Our findings showed that the teacher's epistemological framing, characterized from her interactions with students during modeling lessons, evolved during the study period: transitioning from an emphasis on students merely "filling in blanks" to prioritizing "constructing personal reasoning" and ultimately to focusing on the "social construction of scientific reasoning." The teacher's perception about what students are capable of changed, as she observed students during the modeling lessons, and this led to the shifts in her framing. Furthermore, through her engagement in planning, implementing, and reflecting on modeling lessons with researchers, she came to recognize the value of student collaboration in knowledge-building processes. These results can offer implications for supporting and studying teachers' epistemological framing and modeling-based teaching by partnering with them.