Approaches to teacher education in primary science likely to ensure pre-service teachers are equipped with adequate science subject knowledge

The presentation focuses on the ways in which preservice primary teachers (training to teach children aged 5-11) can be supported to develop adequate science subject knowledge on a short post-graduate training programme. It begins with a discussion of the challenges facing teacher educators in England in the light of government imposed reforms on teacher education and curriculum requirements. It then describes and discusses the implications of a study that explored the perceptions of a two cohorts (n=640) of preservice teachers on a post-graduate training course. The study gauged understanding of 11 key scientific concepts at the start and end of the course and asked participants to reflect on their development of scientific subject matter by identifying those actions and factors that had helped them make progress. Firstly it was discovered that trainees’ conceptual understanding had improved dramatically so that by the end of the course very few trainees had even one conceptual area that they considered a major gap in their knowledge. Secondly, the factor most cited by trainees as being influential in their development was the support provided at science workshops, although a number of other reasons for trainee development were identified. It concludes with a consideration of future course content, included blended learning strategies that are likely to be most effective in reformed structures for teacher education in England