Lärarutbildning genom parallellprocesser kring samhällsfrågor med naturvetenskapligt innehåll. ”- När är det rätt att döda ett djur?”

Teacher training through parallel processes focused on societal issues with scientific content. - "When is it right to kill an animal?"

Abstract

 It is often emphasized that teacher training should be close to real practice. Starting with tasks based on socio-scientific issues (SSI) is one way of making science teaching more interesting and relevant. This approach allows the students a greater opportunity to be involved in determining the content. In this study, we wanted to visualize some different aspects that appeared when teacher students discussed a socio-scientific issue. Furthermore, the aim was to develop a method that could help the students to reflect on how they could arrange similar activities in their future classrooms within a parallel process. The data collection was carried out when the students discussed an authentic question concerning the right to kill animals. To analyse the content and meaning making that emerged in the students’ discussions, we used practical epistemological analysis (PEA). In the results we highlight three aspects, which could be important to consider when organizing instruction around SSI in a pluralistic spirit. First, the student discussions lead to broadening and clarification of various choices and circumstances needed to make a moral decision. Secondly, on several occasions, scientific facts were required to advance the discussion. Finally, the students formulated ethical principles in order to find out about and decide on the questions at hand. These three didactical aspects can be expected to be helpful for the teacher students in the context of their own teaching. Consequently, this parallel process is a feasible way of creating ‘a continuity’ between practice and theory in teacher education.