From Frustration to Insights: Experiences, Attitudes, and Pedagogical Practices of Preservice Science Teachers Implementing PBL in Elementary School

The current research is based on the phenomenological-qualitative paradigm. The goal was to examine the significant experiences, attitudes, and pedagogical practices of 17 Israeli student teachers in the science-teaching track regarding the use of project-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical method, which they implemented in elementary schools during their practicum. During the first semester of the practicum, the student teachers were instructed to implement a PBL approach as part of their teaching assignment. During the second semester, they were instructed to teach the science lessons using any teaching method of their choice. Data were collected via in-depth interviews, reflective reports, lesson plans, and lesson observations, and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis method. Findings indicate that the quality of student-teachers’ experiences changed throughout the practicum, from frustration and difficulty, to coping with and overcoming the difficulties, which led to a sense of success and satisfaction. Additionally, it was found that student teachers developed positive attitudes towards the principles of PBL pedagogy, as a result of their implementing a PBL approach earlier in the practicum. Finally, findings indicate that the experience of implementing PBL in the course of the teaching practicum is an important step, which led science student-teachers to experience success and satisfaction, develop positive attitudes towards student-centered, inquiry-based learning, and adopt several principles and aspects of PBL pedagogy in their pedagogical practices.