New Perspectives in Science Education

This investigation is a three-part ethnographic study of pre-service elementary/science teachers and undergraduates of a non-licensure program preparing them to work with children, youth, or families in community settings. Analyzing the affordances of rich, engaging science learning opportunities in informal settings, this research seeks to capture how these experiences traditionally held by a “front-line educator” (National Research Council, 2009, p. 7), help frame prospective teacher identity and impact undergraduate student decisions towards their chosen field of study.  Using the lens of Csikszentmihalyi’s (1975) Flow Experience Theory and the Constructivist perspective of Discovery Learning (Bruner, 1961), the study attempts to encapsulate the informal setting’s influence on the affective dimensions of learning, such as attitudes and confidence. The study poses the following research questions:

1. How does interaction with elementary/middle school students through dialogue and object exploration in informal science settings frame prospective teacher identity and impact undergraduate student decisions towards their chosen field of study?
    
2. What are the informal setting’s influence on the affective dimensions of learning, such as attitudes and confidence for the prospective teacher?
    
3. What were the affordances of this informal science learning opportunity and what implications do they have in re-conceptualizing teacher education?

Revealed through inductive analysis of multiple sources of data (field notes, semi-structured interviews, monthly journal reflections, and two survey instruments adopted from Jarrett’s (1999) open-ended questionnaire on informal science experiences and confidence in teaching science and Kelly’s (2000) questionnaire on student interest and attitudes towards science and confidence in teaching ability in a redeveloped science methods course), the findings from this approach will offer critical perspectives to the study of potential educators in light of the current national shortage of STEM teachers.  Additionally, the results may suggest a re-conceptualization of teacher education that explicitly connects formal with informal learning. This partnership can lead to a “synergy between the two sectors” that “can result in an enhanced education for student at school” (Stocklmayer et al., 2010), provide greater access to science for all learners, increase interest in STEM related careers, and hopefully assist in the retention of science teachers.

Keywords: Pre-service Science Teachers, informal science education, affective dimension, teacher identity;