Expanding Student Teachers' Implicit Theories About Explanations for the Science Classrooms

This study explored student teachers' implicit theories about explaining for the science classroom in three courses at diverse universities. Based on microteaching situations, the participants simulated explanations and discussed the elements they considered relevant for giving peer feedback. This led to the design of rubrics for peer assessment, which expressed their implicit theories about what a good explanation for the science classroom would look like. The three rubrics are presented and discussed in the light of the connections between teachers' thinking and practice. Shulman's ideas about professional teaching knowledge development, as well as negotiation of meaning, provide theoretical under-pinning for understanding and expanding student teachers' thinking about explanations for the science classrooms.