From Play to Pedagogy: Formative Childhood Experiences and the Development of Preservice Elementary Science Educators

In this study, we explore the concerns of elementary education (ELED) teaching candidates regarding teaching science in the outdoors and how their apprehensions might have been shaped by their recollected Environmental Socialization (ES) experiences during childhood. Qualitative and quantitative survey data were collected and analyzed using convergent mixed methods design. Data included responses to an open-ended question about their concerns teaching outdoors, responses to a Likert-type question about fear teaching outdoors, and responses to the frequency of recollected ES experiences. The open-ended question was coded first for themes and five themes emerged. Quantitative data from recollected ES experiences were then used to classify ELED candidates as either Low ES or High ES and then responses to the open-ended item were reanalyzed to examine differences by group. Additionally, the response to a Likert-type item about fear of teaching in the outdoors was statistically examined for group differences. Overall, ELED candidates recalled significantly higher participation in DE-D (Stage 1) ES experiences and much less participation in EFS (Stage 2) ES experiences. Statistically significant differences were found between Low ES and High ES candidates, in addition to stark contrasts in their reporting of concerns. We posit that the lack of EFS experiences has the potential to impact how these future elementary teachers will choose to engage in outdoor teaching opportunities.