Developing preservice teachers' evidentiary practices in scientific reasoning: an explorative study

Recent research highlights that primary school preservice teachers lack the confidence to critically engage in scientific evidence, however, teachers have a responsibility to develop 21st century learners who can critically evaluate scientific information and identify misinformation. It is therefore crucial that primary preservice teachers can teach students how to critically evaluate scientific evidence to draw informed judgements.

The aims of this research are to describe and develop preservice teachers understanding, and consequently practice, associated with teaching students to critically evaluate scientific evidence. This will be achieved through a sequential research design, which will involve the collection of quantitative and qualitative data across a university semester from primary school preservice teachers who are currently enrolled in a science primary education unit at the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

Initially, a pre-survey will explore how preservice teachers critically evaluate scientific evidence, as well as how they would teach their students to evaluate scientific evidence. Primary school preservice teachers will then engage in a range of intervention materials within their science primary education unit at ACU. The aim of these intervention materials is to develop in the preservice teachers a deep understanding of how to critically evaluate scientific evidence themselves, as well as engage preservice teachers in a range of teaching strategies to facilitate student evaluation of scientific evidence. Intervention materials will include tutorials, instructional videos, and workshops. In order to examine the impact of the intervention, preservice teachers will be invited to complete a post-survey, provide the researchers with work samples from the intervention activities as well be invited to be part of focus group interviews. Online group interviews will allow preservice teachers to demonstrate their understanding of how to critically analyse scientific evidence and the practices they will employ in the classroom to support students' evaluation of scientific evidence.

The outcomes of this study will provide an in-depth view of preservice teachers' understanding of not only how they themselves critically evaluate scientific evidence, but how they use this understanding in their teaching practice. This is a crucial first step in addressing how to teach students to decipher misinformation from scientific information- a critical capability of 21st century learners.

Anonymous survey, using Microsoft Forms (EDSI290); work samples collected in PDF format (EDSI660 only)

2 surveys (from 2024 and 2025), combined in one spreadsheet; 15 de-identified work samples (one PDF each)

Data Custodian, Sarah Digan, UoW contact - sdigan@uow.edu.au