Eric.ed.gov – Changing the “Ecosystem” of Preservice Math and Science Methods Classes To Enhance Students’ Social, Cognitive, and Emotional Development.

This research examines the critical factors in a science/math methods course and its effect on the dispositions of preservice elementary education majors. In order to break the cyclical axiom that “teachers teach as they were taught,” this study used a paired-t test design to indicate any significance. The preservice education majors indicated that they felt more prepared to teach developmentally-appropriate lessons in Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Astronomy. There was a development of a positive self-efficacy, which will have a great impact on the effectiveness of the new teachers. Constructivism as a theory of learning and teaching and as a significant factor in developing a heightened sense of self-efficacy was the theory used in the classes. In order to learn math and science, the learner must be active and engaged in the process. The notion of teaching science as a reading assignment and math as something to be learned in lecture is shown to be ineffectual and inefficient. (Contains 12 references.) (Author/MM)