Supporting pre-service elementary teachers in their understanding of inquiry teaching through the construction of a third discursive space

ABSTRACT

Several international reports promote the use of the inquiry teaching methodology for improvements in science education at elementary school. Nevertheless, research indicates that pre-service elementary teachers have insufficient experience with this methodology and when they try to implement it, the theory they learnt in their university education clashes with the classroom practice they observe, a problem that has also been noted with other innovative methodologies. So, it appears essential for pre-service teachers to conduct supportive reflective practice during their education to integrate theory and practice, which various studies suggest is not usually done. Our study shows how opening up a third discursive space can assist this supportive reflective practice. The third discursive space appears when pre-service teachers are involved in specific activities that allow them to contrast the discourses of theoretical knowledge taught at university with practical knowledge arising from their ideas on science and science teaching and their observations during classroom practice. The case study of three pre-service teachers shows that this strategy was fundamental in helping them to integrate theory and practice, resulting in a better understanding of the inquiry methodology and its application in the classroom.

KEYWORDS:

• Pre-service elementary teachers
• education
• inquiry methodology
• supportive reflective practice

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the quality of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributors

Ileana M. Greca is a professor for didactics of experimental sciences at the University of Burgos, Spain. She earned a Ph.D. in physics education from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2000. Her research interests include cognitive psychology and science education, modern physics in science education, applications of history and philosophy of science in science teaching, professional development of science teachers and inquiry teaching methodology for primary students. Some of her recent publications are: Greca, I. M., & Freire, O. Jr. (2014). Teaching introductory quantum physics and chemistry: Caveats from the history of science and science teaching to the training of modern chemists. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 15, 286–296; Greca, I. M., Seoane, E., & Arriassecq, I. (2014). Epistemological issues concerning computer simulations in science and their implications for science education. Science & Education, 23(4), 897–921; and El-Hani, C., & Greca, I. M. (2013). COMPRATICA: A virtual community of practice for promoting biology teachers' professional development in Brazil. Research in Science Education, 43(4), 1327–1352.

ORCID

Ileana M. Greca http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3674-7985