What personal experiences, potentialities and predispositions do prospective primary teachers manifest when they start their training in science teaching?

Abstract

The study diagnoses the emotional and professional profile about science teaching of 120 Prospective Primary Education Teachers (PPET). The study preceded their training in science teaching. It was made a fact-finding analysis about: (1) PPET's experiences about school science; (2) PPET's conceptions about desired skills of a science primary teacher: (3) PPET's self-confidence about their strengths and weaknesses; (4) PPET's willingness to teach science; and the influence of (5) a further scientific background and (6) a positive experience with school science on that predisposition. To obtain information about all these aspects, a questionnaire was designed taking as guide previous studies made by the authors in this line of research. To provide reliability to the study it was analyzed the responses by the inter-observer method and the use of low inference descriptors. Results showed that most of the PPET had de-contextualized and little useful science training. For them, the mastery of discipline content and the promotion of practical works are core competencies in science teaching. Besides, both of them are self-considered the main PPET's weaknesses. PPET proposed a variety of resources and functionality as a content selection criterion. A higher science training and a positive experience with school science influence in the student willingness, but they are not determining factors. Finally, recommendations are made to improve PPET training in science teaching.