Abstract
To effectively teach sciences, science teachers do not only require content knowledge of the science subject but also know how to teach such content well. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-method study is to establish the pedagogical orientations of pre-service science teachers towards instructional approaches. The term ‘orientation’ refers to a teacher’s beliefs and knowledge about teaching sciences. Literature shows a number of classifications of pedagogical orientations, and they can be classified into two approaches: a direct approach divided into Direct Didactic and Direct Active modes and an inquiry approach divided into Guided Inquiry and Open Inquiry modes. A mixed-method approach was used in this study, where the quantitative method was used to determine the pedagogical orientations of the Life Sciences and Physical Sciences pre-service teachers, to establish the shift in the pedagogical orientations of the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers’, and to determine whether or not the pedagogical orientations of the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers’ were aligned with the goals of the school science curriculum. The qualitative method was used to establish factors influencing the pedagogical orientations of the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers’ and their reasons behind their pedagogical shifts or changes. Questionnaires were administered to 114 final-year undergraduate secondary school Physical Sciences and life sciences pre-service teachers to achieve the aim of this study. As mentioned, the data was collected using a questionnaire comprised of items, and these items are referred to as the ‘Pedagogy of Science Teaching Test’ (POSTT). The POSTT item portrays an authentic teaching scenario for a particular Physical Sciences or Life Sciences topic. When they respond to the questionnaire, the pre-service teachers were required to select the most appropriate and the most inappropriate teaching approach from the four options provided then justify their options. Based on the quantitative results, eight Physical Sciences pre-service teachers were selected purposefully for interviews and to administer a third questionnaire when they are full time teachers. The findings of this study indicate: (i) the Physical Sciences and life sciences pre-service teachers’ most selected appropriate pedagogical orientation was Guided Inquiry and the most selected inappropriate pedagogical orientation was Direct Didactic; (ii) there is a shift in the pedagogical orientation of the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers over time; (iii) the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers’ pedagogical orientations were in line with the goals of the secondary school curriculum which is Guided Inquiry; and (iv) the Physical Sciences pre-service teachers’ iii pedagogical orientations were influenced by factors such as school resources, class size, teaching time, pedagogical beliefs, curriculum goals and content knowledge.
Ph.D. (Science Education)