RESEARCH PAPER
Content modules as sites for developing science teacher identity in pre-service teachers: A case of one South African university
 
More details
Hide details
1
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA
 
 
Publication date: 2022-08-09
 
 
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2022;18(9):em2150
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Developing science identity in pre-service science teachers is important as it influences their perceptions about science teaching and learning. Pre-service teachers’ science identity can be developed in their specific modules where they obtain content knowledge. Grounded in the notion of pre-service teachers’ learning agendas, and identity development, this paper presents an argument pertaining to how science content modules at one South African university contribute to pre-service teachers’ development of their identities as science teachers. Data were collected through individual interviews with 13 pre-service science teachers and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. The findings revealed four categories of aspects that influenced the pre-service science teachers’ identity construction and development. The first is about the nature of the subject matter knowledge taught in the modules. The second is about the context in which this subject matter knowledge is taught. The third concerns how teaching is conducted, and the last comprises the nature of practical work. These findings are discussed, and the implications related to the structure of science content modules in initial science teacher education programs are discussed.
 
REFERENCES (30)
1.
Avraamidou, L. (2014). Studying science teacher identity: Current insights and future research directions. Studies in Science Education, 50(2), 145-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/030572....
 
2.
Aydeniz, M., & Hodge, L. L. (2011). Is it dichotomy or tension: I am a scientist? No, wait! I am a teacher! Cultural Studies of Science Education, 6(1), 165-179. https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s1....
 
3.
Beijaard, D., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(2),107-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
4.
Chung-Parsons, R., & Bailey, J. M. (2019). The hierarchical (not fluid) nature of preservice secondary science teachers’ perceptions of their science teacher identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 78, 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
5.
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2),120-123.
 
6.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Pearson.
 
7.
Deng, Z. (2007). Transforming the subject matter: Examining the intellectual roots of pedagogical content knowledge. Curriculum Inquiry, 37(3), 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467....
 
8.
Feiman-Nemster, S. (2008). Teacher learning: How do teachers learn to teach? In M. Cochran-Smith, S. Feiman-Nemser, J. McIntyre, & K. E. Demers (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education: Enduring questions in changing contexts (pp. 697-705). Routledge.
 
9.
Harrell-Levy, M. K., & Kerpelman, J. L. (2010). Identity process and transformative pedagogy: Teachers as agents of identity formation. Identity: International Journal of Theory and Research, 10(2), 76-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/152834....
 
10.
Helms, J. V. (1998). Science–and me: Subject matter and identity in secondary school science teachers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 35(7), 811-834. https://doi.org/10.1080/104656....
 
11.
Kaplan, A., & Garner, J. K. (2018). Teacher identity and motivation: The dynamic systems model of role identity. In P. Schutz, J. Hong, & D.C. Francis (Eds.), Research on teacher identity: Mapping challenges and innovations (pp. 71-82). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-....
 
12.
Kaplan, A., Sinai, M., & Flum, H. (2014). Design-based interventions for promoting students’ identity exploration with the school curriculum. In S.A. Karabenick, & T. C. Urdan (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement (pp. 243-291). Emerald Group. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0749-....
 
13.
Khoza (2020). Learning to teach Biology to pre-service teachers: A self-study [Doctoral thesis, University of the Witwatersrand].
 
14.
Kier, M. W., & Lee, T. D. (2017). Exploring the role of identity in elementary preservice teachers who plan to specialize in science teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61(1), 199-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
15.
Loughran, J. (2006). Developing a pedagogy of teacher education: Understanding teaching and learning about teaching. Routledge.
 
16.
Lunenberg, M., Korthagen, F., & Swennen, A. (2007). The teacher educator as a role model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(5), 586-601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
17.
Maguire, M., & Delahunt, B. (2017). Doing a thematic analysis: A practical, step-by-step guide for learning and teaching scholars. All Ireland Journal of Higher Education, 9(3), 3351-3352.
 
18.
Menon, D., & Azam, S. (2021). Preservice elementary teachers’ identity development in learning to teach science: A multi-site case study. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 32(5), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/104656....
 
19.
Montenegro, H. (2020). Teacher educators’ conceptions of modelling: A phenomenographic study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 94, 103097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
20.
Musset, P. (2010). Initial teacher education and continuing training policies in a comparative perspective: Current practices in OECD countries and a literature review on potential effects. OECD Education Working Paper, 48.
 
21.
Nghia, T. L., & Tai, H. N. (2017). Preservice teachers’ identity development during the teaching internship. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(8), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.....
 
22.
Nyamupangedengu, E. (2015). Teaching genetics to pre-service teachers: a teacher educator’s approach to transformative practice through self-study [Doctoral thesis, University of the Witwatersrand].
 
23.
Nyamupangedengu, E., & Lelliott, A. (2016). Using modelling as a method of teaching a content course to pre-service teachers. In D. Garbett, & A. Ovens (Eds.), Enacting self-study as methodology for professional inquiry (pp. 85-92). S-STEP.
 
24.
Rodrigues, F., & Mogarro, M. J. (2019). Student teachers’ professional identity: A review of research contributions. Educational Research Review, 28, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edur....
 
25.
Saka, Y., Southerland, S. A., Kittleson, J., & Hutner, T. (2013). Understanding the induction of a science teacher: The interaction of identity and context. Research in Science Education, 43(3), 1221-1244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165....
 
26.
Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14. https://doi.org/10.3102/001318....
 
27.
Song, G., & Shuhua, W. (2007). A study on pertinent influencing factors on teachers’ professional identity. Frontiers of Education in China, 2(4), 634-650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516....
 
28.
Tucker, O. G. (2020). Preservice music teacher occupational identity development in an early field experience. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 30(1), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1177/105708....
 
29.
van Lankveld, T., Schoonenboom, J., Croiset, G., Volman, M., & Beishuizen, J. (2017). The role of teaching courses and teacher communities in strengthening the identity and agency of teachers at university medical centres. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 99-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate....
 
30.
Wei, B., Avraamidou, L., & Chen, N. (2021). How a beginning science teacher deals with practical work: An explorative study through the lens of identity. Research in Science Education, 51(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs111....
 
eISSN:1305-8223
ISSN:1305-8215
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top