Examining Preservice Teachers' Involvement in Online Science Education

In various western countries, preservice teachers are electing to learn how to teach primary science education though online coursework. Debate arises over the quality of online coursework to deliver adequate knowledge and skills for teaching primary science and how to improve online pedagogy. Using a posttest design, responses from 26 third-year preservice teachers from the same university were analysed after involvement in an online primary science pedagogy course. A 34-item survey, which was linked to the course outcomes (constructs) and multiple indicators, aimed to measure the preservice teachers’ perceptions of their development towards becoming primary science teachers. Results indicated that although online science education courses may assist preservice teachers’ perceptions of learning how to teach primary science education, understanding children’s manipulative skills for learning about science will require further pedagogical improvement. Online preservice teacher education programs may be enhanced by assessing preservice teachers’ ability to implement education reform measures and addressing relevant issues with enhanced online pedagogical practices.