This study of prospective science teachers learning of science and science teaching during their university studies set out to investigate what experiences influenced the prospective teachers to understand science and science teaching the way they did, and what experiences promoted or undermined the current goals of science education reform. The research questions focused on the beliefs that prospective science teachers share and the experiences that facilitated those beliefs. / This interpretive study of one group of prospective science teachers during one year of university science education instruction was undertaken to understand the "meaning-perspectives" of the participants as the experiences were related to science teaching and the nature of science. The primary data sources were field notes, formal and informal interviews, informal discussions (recorded as field notes), and data produced by the participants (i.e., journals, class assignments). The study, in large part, involved active participation on my part. I had multiple roles in the study, including researcher, university instructor, high school teacher, university supervisor, doctoral student, and friend. / Beliefs were interpreted using the idea of cultural myths. A myth of objectivism was a primary referent for the prospective teachers' sense making. The prospective teachers believed knowledge existed independently of thinking beings and matched an objective reality. The myth was supported by the university undergraduate science culture and science coursework. Only by reflecting on teaching experiences from a constructivist epistemology were prospective teachers able to value the goals of current science education reform. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: A, page: 3583. / Major Professor: Kenneth Tobin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76510 |
| Contributors | Lorsbach, Anthony W., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 132 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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