Enhancing science self-efficacy and attitudes of Pre-Service Teachers (PST) through a flipped classroom learning environment

ABSTRACT

The flipped instruction methodology has increased in popularity in recent years. A fruitful area for flipped methodology helps to increase the self-efficacy and attitudes of students as a learner in their science course. This study investigates the effects of following a flipped classroom teaching methodology on Pre-Service Teachers’ (PSTs) self-efficacy in science contents and teaching science, as well as their attitudes toward science. Various instruments were used to assess the influence of the methodology on the aforementioned variables, and the results indicated that significant differences were observed in the students’ self-efficacy before and after course completion. Additionally, the methodology followed in the class significantly increased positive attitudes toward science and scientific contents, and, therefore, PSTs were more willing to enjoy science. Thus, a flipped science course can contribute to attaining science self-efficacious PSTs with positive attitudes that are vital to accomplishing insights and visions for professional and specialized developments of PSTs.

KEYWORDS:

• Science education
• self-efficacy
• attitudes
• flipped classroom
• teacher trainee
• instruction methodology

Acknowledgements

Authors thank to Consejerería de Economía e Infraestructura de la Junta de Extremadura (Spain) y Fondo Social Europeo (Project IB18004 and Project GR18004) and Project EDU2016-77007-R (AEI/FEDER, UE) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Consejerería de Economía e Infraestructura de la Junta de Extremadura (Spain) y Fondo Social Europeo: [grant numbers GR18004, IB18004]; Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain: [grant number EDU2016-77007-R].

Notes on contributors

David González-Gómez

Dr. David Gonzalez received his Ph.D. He is a Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Extremadura (Cáceres) and Dean of the Teaching Trainer School at the same University. He is the author of more than 70 international journal papers, has assisted to a great number of international conferences with peer-reviewed proceedings. Due to his outstanding research, he had been awarded with the Outstanding Thesis Award (2006) and Juan Jesus Morales Young Researcher Award (2011), both from the University of Extremadura (Spain).

Jin Su Jeong

Dr. Jin Su Jeong is currently a Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education, the Universidad de Extremadura (Spain) and was a Researcher Professor with Juan de la Cierva Program at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain). He was received his MS in Architecture from the Texas A&M University, College Station (United States) in 2006, his first PhD with International Mention and Suma Cum Laude in Graphic Engineering, Geomatics and Projects from the Universidad de Extremadura in 2014 (Spain), and second PhD Suma Cum Laude and Outstanding Thesis Award in Teaching Education from the University of Extremadura in 2018 (Spain) with a part of study from University of Washington, Seattle (United States). For his doctoral dissertation, he has done different doctoral research stays and collaborations. He has published more than 100 papers in journals, books and conference proceedings, including 35 papers in journals indexed in the Web of Science. He has participated in the scientific committee of several international conferences and associations and has served as a reviewer in a wide range of international journals. He has been involved in a number of international, European and national grants as well as industrial collaborations.

Florentina Cañada-Cañada

Dr. Florentina Cañada Cañada hold different research and teaching positions in France, the United States and Spain. Currently she is a Professor at the Department of Didactics of Experimental Sciences and Mathematics at the Universidad de Extremadura (Spain). She is the author of more than 60 international journal papers, has assisted to a great number of international conferences with peer-reviewed proceedings Her research is focused on Higher Science Education and the students’ affective domain in the learning process.