Improving learning opportunities for special education needs (SEN) students by engaging pre-service science teachers in an informal experiential learning course

Inclusive education (IE) has the potential to improve special education needs (SEN) students' learning outcomes, but IE requires teachers receive adequate training to be effective. We introduce an approach to pre-service teacher preparation using experiential learning in an informal learning environment to educate beginning teachers about effective science teaching for SEN students. Using data collected from observations, survey, interviews, and autobiographical reflections, we explored how teachers' engagement in an informal teaching experience impacted their perceptions about SEN students, their beliefs about the value of teaching science to SEN students, and their beliefs about their future responsibilities to support SEN students in inclusive classrooms. Findings expand our understanding of how to prepare new science teachers to improve science learning for students who are routinely marginalized in formal educational settings. Building from these findings, we discuss the need for transforming pre-service teacher education using university-based experiential learning courses that simultaneously offer SEN students targeted, high quality content learning experiences that could also have a positive impact on SEN students' attitudes about and achievement in science. We conclude by raising questions about the need for expanded policy, teacher preparation programmes, and additional research focused on improving science teaching and learning for SEN students.