Changes in perceptions and attitudes of pre‐service post‐graduate secondary school science teachers

Abstract

The article deals with perceptual and attitudinal changes of British post‐graduate pre‐service secondary science teachers during and following their education and training year at the University of Keele, UK. Specifically, the following aspects were addressed: views about education through science; views about the aims and goals of science education, classroom management, teaching schemes and instructional strategies; their self‐concepts as science teachers; their self‐confidence concerning a variety of teaching assignments; and their expectations of the PGCE (Post‐Graduate Certificate of Education) programme. The influence of gender, age, and science subject background, on their initial views and subsequent changes of perceptions and attitudes, were also investigated. The research was conducted with 39 PGCE students and their five academic tutors. It combined both qualitative (open questionnaire and interviews) and quantitative ('closed’ questionnaire) methods. The findings emphasized three characteristics of the pre‐service teachers: It is suggested that these findings might serve as a good beginning for developing more effective pre‐service education and training programmes.