Supporting Pre-Service Primary School Teachers with Hands-on-Science

Abstract

The education that primary school students receive shapes their relationship with science. Elementary school teachers report they have low confidence and enthusiasm about teaching science. The Hands-on-Science Program at UT Austin was created to serve the unique needs of Applied Learning and Development majors. HoS consists of four required content courses: Physics, Chemistry & Geology, Biology, and Astronomy & Earth Climate. HoS classes differ from traditional science courses in two ways: (1) method of instruction, and (2) content. Our students attain higher learning gains and display improved attitudes towards learning science, compared to students who take traditional science classes.