Exploring the impact of pre-service science teachers’ reflection skills on the development of professional knowledge during a field experience

International Journal of Science Education, vol. 43, pp. 3035–3057

Abstract

The process of reflection is assumed to be important for developing professional knowledge through practical experience in science teaching. However, this claim requires more evidence, based on a clear definition of reflection. The main goal of the present study is to explore how reflection skills influence the development of professional knowledge gained through teaching experience. Before and after a five-month field experience, we have measured pre-service physics teachers’ professional knowledge and reflection skills (N = 94; 133 cases pre and post from four German universities). We also collected data for learning opportunities during the field experience (e.g. the number of taught lessons). The present study uses a novel standardized digital simulation of collaborative oral reflections to measure reflection skills (performance assessment), as a way of increasing validity compared to self-reports. The data have been analyzed using path analysis. The main results show that reflection skills before a field experience impact the development of content knowledge (β = 0.231*) and pedagogical knowledge (β = 0.354**) during the field experience. Regarding the learning opportunities during the field experiences, we develop the following evidence-based post-hoc hypothesis: the more pre-service science teachers are enculturated into a community of practical teachers, the less (academic) content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge they acquire during a field experience. Consequences for science teacher education will be discussed.

Authors 10

1. Christoph Kulgemeyer corresponding

   Paderborn University

   Affiliation as printed

   Physics Education, Department of Physics, University of Paderborn, Germany

2. Maren Kempin

   University of Bremen

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Science Education, Physics Education Department, University of Bremen, Germany

3. Anna Weißbach

   Paderborn University

   Affiliation as printed

   Physics Education, Department of Physics, University of Paderborn, Germany

4. Andreas Borowski

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Germany

5. David Buschhüter

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Germany

6. Patrick Enkrott

   University of Potsdam

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Germany

7. Peter Reinhold

   Paderborn University

   Affiliation as printed

   Physics Education, Department of Physics, University of Paderborn, Germany

8. Josef Riese Aachen Institute of Physics IA Physics Education Department

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics IA, Physics Education Department, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

9. Horst P. Schecker

   University of Bremen

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Science Education, Physics Education Department, University of Bremen, Germany

10. Christoph Vogelsang

    Paderborn University

    Affiliation as printed

    Physics Education, Department of Physics, University of Paderborn, Germany