| Summary |
The purpose of this thesis is to determine through reflection data the degree to which preservice teaching experiences in elementary classrooms aligns with their planned experiences and how the reflective process can assist them in making changes in their practice to reflect more closely goals of reform science. Students were placed in orientation groups by the investigator based on responses to initial class writing assignments that were described in sources of data. Some students did not fit in these categories while some students spanned more than one category. These groups [entertainer, nurturer, facilitator, and transmitter] reflected an individual's beliefs about the role of the teacher. Depending on elementary science methods students' incoming beliefs systems, there were varying degrees of success in students' beliefs aligning with the intent of the course. The analysis of reflection exercises, interviews, and observations indicate that reflection inventories are an effective means for fostering reflection in elementary science methods students classified in the nurturer or facilitator orientation groups. As a result of this reflection, changes were made in instructional practice. However, the reflection inventories of the entertainer and the transmitter provided no evidence that a transformation in teaching beliefs had occurred. |
