Early Childhood Pre-service Teachers' Descriptions of Equity in Science Education: A Thematic Analysis.

EARLY childhood teachers; SCIENCE education; THEMATIC analysis; PREJUDICES; STUDENT teachers; SCIENCE teachers

The present study investigated how 380 early childhood pre-service teachers perceived equity in science education and how they planned to incorporate their equity concept into their future science teaching practices. An inductive thematic analysis of the data collected indicated that the majority of pre-service teachers harboured misconceptions about equity in science education. They also conceptualized equity in science education as involving English learners, something unrelated to children's racial/ethnic backgrounds. Colorblindness and deficit beliefs were pervasive among pre-service teachers. One important implication is the need for pre-service teachers to understand that resolving opportunity gaps in science education between dominant and nondominant children depends on building their knowledge of equitable science instruction. Another implication is the need for ECE science teacher educators to create opportunities for pre-service teachers to identify their own cultural backgrounds, as well as to critically and continuously reflect on their own biases and prejudices towards children who come from diverse backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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