Science education for teacher training: The perception of students in training

Abstract

Search context: Teaching basic science is an exciting task, widely discussed in educational research and in the classroom. Objective: This mixed and exploratory investigation aimed to understand Pedagogy students’ perceptions about the comprehension and importance of Science Education for and in the training of a teacher. Methods: The perceptions of a group of 31 students enrolled in the 6th semester of the Pedagogy course in the State University of Ceará, Campus of the Faculty of Education of Itapipoca (UECE-FACEDI), were accessed through their spontaneously written reports. The collected data was decoded and categorized from the moment it was launched in the IRAMUTEQ software along with the Bardin content analysis. Results: The results indicated that Science Education refers to building specific knowledge that enables the teaching of Sciences in the initial stages of basic education. Discussion: Future educators also highlight the need to know environment-related issues, in addition to the theoretical bases of the subject. Interviewees’ concern in understanding the environment, without worrying about its contextualization or using interdisciplinary measures and playfulness, was identified as a means of transposing the knowledge acquired in the academy and taken into the classroom. Conclusions: Therefore, through this process of message analysis, the conclusion is that Science Education for and in the training of a teacher must be articulated in teacher training through the development of specific knowledge, relationships with other disciplines, and playfulness aimed at contributing to the formation of autonomous individuals, citizens, and critics.