PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BACKLOG PERPETUATED BY EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING

TitlePRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BACKLOG PERPETUATED BY EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2024
AuthorsKhoza, HC
JournalJournal of Baltic Science Education
Volume23
Issue3
Start Page464-475
PaginationContinuous
Date PublishedJune/2024
Type of ArticleOriginal article
ISSN1648-3898
Other NumbersE-ISSN 2538-7138
Keywordscase study, COVID-19, knowledge and skills backlog, pre-service science teachers, teacher education
Abstract

The adoption of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 Pandemic brought a shift in how lecturers teach in higher education, posing a threat to the usual development of competencies in students. This study aimed to uncover the knowledge and skills backlogs experienced by pre-service teachers. The study is framed within various concepts that characterize an ideal science teacher. Using a qualitative case-study design, data were collected through interviews with nine pre-service teachers who were subjected to the ERT. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed thematically using the established framework as a lens. The findings indicate that while the science pre-service teachers acquired some technological knowledge, there was a concurrent loss of sufficient content knowledge, a crucial prerequisite for the development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Additionally, the pre-service science teachers highlighted a lack of knowledge in practical work and the specific pedagogies essential for teaching science. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of moving forward.

URLhttps://oaji.net/articles/2023/987-1719377513.pdf
DOI10.33225/jbse/24.23.464
Refereed DesignationRefereed
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