Developing preservice teachers' evidentiary practices in scientific reasoning: an explorative study

Recent research highlights that primary school preservice teachers lack the confidence to critically engage in scientific evidence, however, teachers have a responsibility to develop 21st century learners who can critically evaluate scientific information and identify misinformation. It is therefore crucial that primary preservice teachers can teach students how to critically evaluate scientific evidence to draw informed judgements. The aims of this research are to describe and develop preservice teachers understanding, and consequently practice, associated with teaching students to critically evaluate scientific evidence. This will be achieved through a sequential research design, which will involve the collection of quantitative and qualitative data across a university semester from primary school preservice teachers who are currently enrolled in a science primary education unit at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). Initially, a pre-survey will explore how preservice teachers critically evaluate scientific evidence, as well as how they would teach their students to evaluate scientific evidence. Primary school preservice teachers will then engage in a range of intervention materials within their science primary education unit at ACU. The aim of these intervention materials is to develop in the preservice teachers a deep understanding of how to critically evaluate scientific evidence themselves, as well as engage preservice teachers in a range of teaching strategies to facilitate student evaluation of scientific evidence. Intervention materials will include tutorials, instructional videos, and workshops. In order to examine the impact of the intervention, preservice teachers will be invited to complete a post-survey, provide the researchers with work samples from the intervention activities as well be invited to be part of focus group interviews. Online group interviews will allow preservice teachers to demonstrate their understanding of how to critically analyse scientific evidence and the practices they will employ in the classroom to support students' evaluation of scientific evidence. The outcomes of this study will provide an in-depth view of preservice teachers' understanding of not only how they themselves critically evaluate scientific evidence, but how they use this understanding in their teaching practice. This is a crucial first step in addressing how to teach students to decipher misinformation from scientific information- a critical capability of 21st century learners.现有研究表明，小学职前教师在批判性审视科学证据方面缺乏信心；然而，教师肩负着培养21世纪学习者的责任，这类学习者需能够批判性评估科学信息并辨识错误信息。因此，小学职前教师能够教授学生如何批判性评估科学证据以做出审慎判断，这一点至关重要。本研究的目标在于描述并提升职前教师在教授学生批判性评估科学证据相关领域的认知与后续教学实践能力。本研究将采用序列研究设计开展，在一整个大学学期内，从澳大利亚天主教大学（Australian Catholic University, ACU）修读小学科学教育模块的小学职前教师群体中收集定量与定性数据。研究初期，将通过预调查探究职前教师如何批判性评估科学证据，以及他们将如何教授学生评估科学证据。随后，小学职前教师将在其修读的ACU小学科学教育模块中参与一系列干预材料学习。此类干预材料的目标在于帮助职前教师深度掌握自身批判性评估科学证据的方法，同时引导职前教师学习一系列教学策略，以助力学生开展科学证据评估。干预材料将包含辅导课程、教学视频与专题工作坊。为检验干预措施的效果，将邀请职前教师完成后测问卷、提交干预活动中的作业样本，并参与焦点小组访谈。线上焦点小组访谈将使职前教师能够展示其对科学证据批判性分析方法的理解，以及他们将在课堂中采用的、用于支持学生评估科学证据的教学实践。本研究的成果将深入展现职前教师不仅对自身批判性评估科学证据的方法具备认知，还能明晰如何将此类认知应用于教学实践中。这是解决如何教授学生从科学信息中辨识错误信息这一问题的关键第一步，而该能力正是21世纪学习者的核心素养之一。