This study took place within an environment of educational change in teaching and assessment in the UK, where the National Curriculum (N.C.) and National External Examination syllabi undertook significant revision. Science education specifically, has seen aspiration raised to allow pupils to achieve a greater depth of understanding at Key Stage 4 and hence facilitate advanced study. Central to the development of effective scientific understanding is teacher preparation. This study examined the factors that impacted on the experiences of primary teachers during their training. Questionnaires completed by a sample of one hundred and sixteen trainee teachers followed by semi-structured interviews of sixteen trainees were used as a means of interpreting Post-Graduate Certification in Education (PGCE) trainee teachers' experiences during taught university sessions and school based training. The findings showed that the majority of the trainees rated their training highly, and perceived themselves to be confident primary science pedagogues. They felt, however that the very limited opportunities to observe and teach science during their training negatively influenced their overall development.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore whether aspects of co-coaching could support primary science teacher education in a university–school initial teacher education (ITE) partnership program in England. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methodological approach was taken, comprising of student teachers responding to a coaching questionnaire blended with a qualitative exploration of audio-recorded student teacher co-coaching conversations. Informal student teacher discussion groups were used as a means to discern their attitudes and beliefs pertaining to co-coaching within taught university sessions. Findings Analysis and subsequent integration of data showed that many aspects of co-coaching supported student teacher pedagogical knowledge acquisition and professional development. Additionally, questionnaire responses and small-group discussions revealed that student teachers developed positive attitudes to this mode of learning. Originality/value This study evaluates the innovative use of co-coaching techniques during primary teacher science education, and the outcomes have clear implications for the design of ITE programs in England and potentially further afield.

Effective teaching behaviour is known to be associated with positive pupil outcomes. As such, it is considered an important aspect of educational research. In this chapter, we used validated instruments to measure two types of teaching effectiveness. Teachers’ perceived effective teaching behaviour was measured using the Teacher as Social Context (TASC) questionnaire and teachers’ observed effective teaching behaviour were measured using the International Comparative Analysis of Learning and Teaching (ICALT) Observation Instrument. Statistical comparisons were made between these two measures and were additionally analysed through the lens of teachers’ career phases. The study found that there are significant differences in teachers’ perceived and observed effective teaching behaviour. Teachers’ perceived effective teaching behaviour was found to remain relatively stable throughout their careers, however, their observed effectiveness was seen to change considerably. As teachers enter the middle phases of their careers, an increase in observed effectiveness was identified, followed by a decline during the later career phases. Further analysis of observed effective teaching behaviour using six ICALT domains indicates that the way a teacher facilitates a safe and stimulating learning climate and is efficiently organised plays an important role in the variation of their observed effectiveness. These results have implications for the continued professional development of trainee teachers and qualified teachers at all stages of their careers.

This three-year longitudinal case study focused on the deployment of mobile technology in the form of tablet computers (iPads), during Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE). The research took place in a larger than average primary school in the West Midlands, UK, which showed a strong commitment to Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) resulting in iPads being used as an integral learning tool, across the entire curriculum. During the research, pupils in Upper Key Stage Two (10–11 year olds) were observed taking part in science weeks which consisted of intense periods of science inquiry, much of which was child-led. The impact of the embedded use of iPads was monitored by scrutinising pupils’ work in the form of multimedia presentations and experimental reports. Pupils’ learning behaviours and attitudes to mobile technology were explored through observations and paired interviews. The embedded use of iPads during IBSE was shown to increase science knowledge acquisition and support scientific literacy, recording of processes and aid understanding of working scientifically. Furthermore, iPads were shown to afford opportunities for personalisation of scientific learning experiences and foster collaboration at several levels, factors which were highly valued by the pupils. The outcomes of this study can be used to further inform the refinement of m-learning strategies in primary science and illuminate opportunities for developing the practice of science pedagogues.

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