Early perceptions of modelling by physics teachers in training

The School Science Activity recognises the need for science education that provides citizens with a worldview about which they can think, act and communicate. However, science teachers, especially in physics, continue to use transmissive teaching approaches and show evidence of difficulties in implementing didactic approaches such as modeling in the classroom. Some reasons include the complexity of designing sequences under this approach and the lack of comprehension of the role of modeling competences that are developed in this kind of implementation. This research analyses how the ideas of physics teachers in training in Chile change concerning modeling and its competences, after participating in a course oriented towards this approach. At the end of the course, progress is identified in comprehending the aims of the modeling competences of expression, evaluation and application of a model. The results also highlight the importance of training future teachers through classes focused on modeling. To this purpose, some design and implementation guidelines are proposed.