Setting the landscape : focusing on the methods course in secondary science teacher education

A multitude of countries are interested in improving K-12 science education for the purposes of producing a scientifically literate citizenry and increasing student interest in science-oriented careers. To improve science learning in schools, we must also develop high quality science teacher preparation programs. Although there are numerous outlets for K-12 science teachers to provide insights into their practice (e.g. science education practitioner journals), there are few such outlets for science teacher educators. The purpose of the book is to synthesise detailed descriptions of secondary science methods courses from science teacher educators in different countries across the various continents of the world. We define a ‘secondary science methods course’ as specific university class designed to prepare pre-service or inservice teachers to teach science in secondary school contexts (ranging between grade 5 and grade 12, depending on the context). The chapters are written by different science teacher educators who teach in a particular country and have purposeful approaches to teaching their course. Individual chapters will describe how the science methods course is situated in the larger teacher preparation program and/or state/national context, followed with details on signature course activities and assessment designs, and how they align with research-supported practices in teacher education. This compilation will provide concrete examples of how science teacher preparation is viewed both similarly and differently across contexts, and allow teacher educators an opportunity to learn from one another about course design. In the final chapter written by the editors, an analysis of the different courses concludes with an articulation of research questions that need to be pursued for improving science teacher preparation from a global perspective.