Teaching Preservice Science Teachers How to Do Science: Responses to the Research Experience

A principal component of the recommendations in Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS, 1993) and in the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) is for science teachers to teach by inquiry. However, the NSES's use of the term inquiry has been criticized by Yager (1997) on the basis of its lack of definition and lack of clear direction on how teachers should implement inquiry in the classroom. In addition, Yager states that "there are too few in education who have practiced science who have experienced first hand the . . . richness and excitement of knowing about and understanding the natural world" (p. 2). This criticism underscores a general lack of genuine undergraduate research experiences for preservice teachers. Undergraduate research experience in science has not generally attracted much attention as a major educational tool, although a number of scientists believe it can be of significant use, at least in educating scientists (Siebert, 1988). The elements of research highlighted by Siebert (inquiry, investigation, interpretation) are the same goals that the national curriculum projects (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996) have established for precollege students. In fact, Sieberťs description of the elements for research is similar to the AAAS (1993) goals for science education improvement: