Research into Development of Beliefs about the Goals and Purposes of Science Teaching : Analysis of Life Stories of Five Experienced Science Teachers

This research, through analysis of five experienced science teachers’ life stories, was done to further evaluate prior research into beliefs of science teachers. Furthermore, it attempts to clarify the development of beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching to show how beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching develop through pre- and in-service teacher education/training, the value of this, and suggestions towards the realization of this. First, an overall concept of beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching is clarified by further evaluation of prior research. Next, life story was utilized as a research methodology for the clarification of belief development, and an interview survey was planned and conducted based on this methodology. The stories gained were analyzed, and the facts that various experiences, whether in or out of school, have an influence to clarify beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching, that there are cases where experiences outside of school can provide motivation for adding new concepts to one’s beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching, and that beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching that were held at the time of becoming a science teacher do not change throughout a professional career, were all made clear. Based on the above results, the development throughout one’s professional career concerning beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching is perceived as part of a science teacher’s consecutive professional learning, which happens in and out of school. Pre-service teacher education should make a vital role as giving an opportunity for developing beliefs about goals and purposes of science teaching. Suggestions were gained for how to realize development of beliefs about the goals and purposes of science teaching through pre- and in-service teacher education, as well as the value of this.