Developing pre-service teachers’ knowledge about programming in science education

- a TPACK perspective

Abstract

In 2020, programming was included in the revised Norwegian science curricula for primary and lower secondary school. This presented the pre-service teacher (PST) education with a problem. Programming had not previously been a part of the school curriculum, so most PSTs would probably have limited knowledge in programming. Also, programming as a part of the science curricula was new, so how to integrate the two would not be obvious. Hence, the PST education would have to provide the PSTs with knowledge of both programming and how it could be integrated into science education. This thesis addresses the issue of how PSTs’ knowledge about programming in science education can be developed in the science teacher education through the following two research questions:

RQ1: What knowledge do PSTs need to integrate programming into science education?

RQ2: How can science teacher education develop PSTs’ knowledge about integrating programming into science education?

This issue was addressed in this thesis using technological and pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) as a framework for teacher knowledge about programming in science education. The thesis used design-based research as a methodological framework to develop a learning sequence on programmable simulations in science education. The design work was supported by adapting TPACK to programming in science education and developing a questionnaire for measuring it. A survey was conducted to determine the current status of Norwegian PSTs’ TPACK. Multiple data from the field testing of the designed learning sequence were also collected. The qualitative data (e.g., text and observations) were analysed using qualitative deductive content analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using multiple regression analysis. The results from the qualitative and quantitative methods are combined to achieve a more comprehensive picture. The main results of this thesis suggest that PSTs need knowledge in programming and how programming can be integrated with science content. To develop this knowledge, PSTs should be provided with meaningful examples of how programming can be combined with science content (e.g. example of simulation code and how programming can be used to explore science phenomena). Such examples should be combined with scaffolding, for example the use-modify-create approach, to support the development of TPACK for PSTs with limited knowledge of programming and its integration with science content. Crucially, the PSTs should create learning materials and lesson plans to develop their competence in integrating programming into science education.