At Eastern Michigan University, elementary education majors are required to take four science courses (biology, chemistry, Earth science, and physics) in a set of courses designed specifically for them. The authors discuss preservice teachers' ability to transfer knowledge between their chemistry and Earth science courses. The courses were not linked together. The authors found that students did not perceive that the chemistry knowledge was useful in solving novel Earth science problems, and were not able to successfully transfer their knowledge, despite recognizing that knowledge transfer is an important skill.
This resource is referenced here:Subject: Chemistry, Geoscience
Resource Type:
Pedagogic Resources:Research Results, Pedagogic Resources, Journal Article
Teacher Preparation: Pre-Service
Keywords: preservice teachers, introductory course, Earth science, chemistry, teacher preparation