Are We Producing Teaching Technicians or Science Educators? The consequences of differential demands on trainee science teachers

Abstract

This paper discusses the background knowledge requirements for successful science educators in secondary schools. This discussion is illustrated by a short study in which science and non science PGCE students were asked about their background qualifications, what they were required to teach in their school placements and their confidence in doing so. The science students claimed that around 50% of their teaching was in topics outside their main subject area and reported difficulty and low confidence teaching these topics. This was compared with the experience of non‐science students and discussed in the light of current poor recruitment to both science studies and science teaching.