Pre-Service Biology Teachers’ Exposure, Understanding, Attitude, Self-efficacy. Predisposition, Progressivist views, and Application of Inquiry-based Instruction

Abstract

This piece of work described pre-service biology teachers (PSBTs) in terms of their exposure to inquiry-based science instruction (IBSI), and how they were able to apply IBSI practices during teaching practicum. Moreover, the study profiled the PSBTs according to their I8SI understanding, attitudes, self-efficacy, and predispositions, including their learner-centered views. Finally, the study determined the inter-relationships among the PSBTs' IBSI variables.

Sixty-six (66) PSBTs from three teacher-education institutions in Baguio City and Benguet participated in the study. Eight instruments were used to gather data -Science Teachers' Inquiry Practices Scale (STIPS), Pedagogy of Science Testing Test - Biology Items (POSTT-8), Attitude Scale for IBSI Use (ASIU), Inquiry-Based Science Instruction Self-efficacy Scale (IBSISES), Test for Inquiry Pedagogy in Science - Biology (TIPS-B), Modified Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (mRTOP), Modified Inquiry Teaching Self-Assessment Instrument (mlTSAI), and the Educational Philosophies Self-Assessment Instrument (EPSAI). The PSBTs lesson plans were also analyzed to support the result on the level of I8S1 application during teaching internship. Follow-up interviews on both PSBTs and their cooperating teachers were also conducted to supplement the quantitative results gathered from the research instruments.

Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to summarize data, while inferential statistics {Analysis of Variance and Tukey HSD) were used to test for significance among means. Pearson correlation and step-wise multiple regression procedures were employed to describe the relationship among the PSBTs' 18SI variables.