Pre-service science teachers’ preference of methods in a teaching-learning transaction

Abstract

Abstract Teachers in science education use various teaching methods in different topics. Practical work activities (PWAs) and traditional direct teaching methods (DTMs) are common in science education classrooms. This paper reports on an exploratory study conducted among pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs) preferences of two teaching methods for their learning. The study explored associative relations between students’ preferences of methods with their achievements, in specific science topics at two levels of a teacher training course. The study adopted a cohort design. A quantitative descriptive data analysis of preference scores against achievement for each method to establish relations used. The outcome indicated that, on individual basis, some associative relations exist between method preferences and student achievement for particular students. Most students prefer the PWAs to the DTMs and students who prefer DTMs are more adapted to both methods than students who prefer the PWAs. Thus, from these relations, the researchers can conclude that adaptation or maturation to teaching methods plays a role in student learning. Therefore, teachers may have to consider these varied outcomes as important for instructional design purposes and the selection of teaching methods for different cohorts of students.