ProKoWiD
Professional competencies of science teachers in scientific thinking in the transition from university to school-based professional practice.

Scientific reasoning competencies are the abilities needed for scientific problem-solving and reflection on this process at a meta-level. They have been identified as an outcome of good science education and an element of science teachers’ subject-specific professional competencies. Studies indicate that teachers’ professional competencies determine their teaching practice and student learning. However, most available studies focus on pre-service or early career teachers in their first few months at school but rarely on both groups concurrently. However, it was shown that the transition from university education to work life is challenging for teachers and that teachers’ professional competencies develop over this period through teaching experience and reflection. Hence, studies on how teachers’ professional competencies further develop once they have left university and how these competencies impact their teaching practice and student learning are crucial but widely missing.

This project investigates the relationships between science teachers’ scientific reasoning competencies, the quality of their lesson planning and teaching practice, and their students’ scientific reasoning competencies. Essential variables of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge about scientific reasoning competencies and their self-efficacy in teaching scientific reasoning will be considered, too.

Persons involved

Prof. Dr. Moritz Krell