Student teachers' conceptions about effective primary science teaching: a longitudinal study

What conceptions do student teachers hold about good primary science teachi ng? Do these conceptions change during preservice education? To determine a nswers to these questions, 12 Canadian preservice primary teachers were int erviewed on four occasions as they completed their postgraduate 2-year educ ation degree. The findings from these interviews are compared with a simila r longitudinal Australian study, in which the nine preservice teachers were completing an undergraduate education award. Entry conceptions of good sci ence teaching dominated and learning frameworks did not appear to change. I ssues for teacher educators are raised about extending and changing student teachers' conceptions of effective practice.