Pre-service Teachers' Beliefs about Knowledge, Mathematics, and Science

This study examines the beliefs of K-8 preservice teachers during a content methods course. The goals of this course included exposing the preservice teachers to student-centered instructional methods for math and science and encouraging the development of lessons that would integrate mathematics and science. Prior research suggested that one must consider preservice teachers' epistemic beliefs (Cady, Meier; & Lubinski, 2006a) as it influences their interpretation of the teacher education program. In this stua` y, preservice teachers' epistemic beliefs were identijied, their beliefs about mathematics and science teaching and learning were identified and compared, and their descriptions of lessons that integrated mathematics and science were assessed. Findings suggest that preservice teachers made decisions based on an external locus of control and harbored greater anxiety about teaching math as compared to teaching science. They also indicate that the integration of mathematics and science in lesson plans was contrived.