Pre-service Biology Teachers’ Perceptions on the Instruction of Socio-scientific Issues in the Curriculum

From Section:
Preservice Teachers
Published:
Jan. 02, 2012

Source: European Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 35, Issue 1, 2012, pages 111-129

This paper represents a preliminary attempt to address the role of teachers in supporting students’ learning on socio-scientific issues (SSI) by characterising pre-service biology teachers’ perceptions and adaptation of curriculum and identifying factors that serve to mediate this process.

A hundred and two undergraduate pre-service biology teachers took part in this study over the course of one semester.

The teacher candidates completed a questionnaire comprising Likert-type and open-ended questions.

The results indicated that the teacher candidates perceived a need to address SSI positively. Pre-service teachers had moderate personal teaching efficacy beliefs related to teaching about SSI.

The pre-service teachers also identified the lack of instructional time and the unavailability of relevant materials as the primary obstacles hindering the teaching of SSI.


Updated: Nov. 15, 2019
Keywords:
Biology | Curriculum development | Perceptions | Preservice teachers | Science instruction | Undergraduate students