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Science teacher educators (STEs) are key actors for implementing research-based science teacher education (RBSTE). Based on group interviews with 29 STEs from seven different teacher education (TE) institutions in Norway, this study reports how STEs view RBSTE. The STEs did not express a comprehensive understanding of the term RBSTE; however, their descriptions of the aims of science TE were in line with educating research literate teachers - critical and reflective teachers who can develop their practice based on research. They regarded their own competence as decisive for RBSTE and described modelling research-based practices in science education as a way of teaching science and science education simultaneously. However, the STEs described tension between prioritising natural science and science education research. We conclude that STEs’ goals and practices are in line with the aims for RBSTE, but a stronger common understanding of what RBSTE entails is needed to further strengthen science TE.

Med innføringen av programmering i skolens naturfag er det oppstått et behov for å utdanne lærere innen dette. I denne studien har lærerstudenter deltatt i et undervisnings­opplegg om programmering av simuleringer i naturfag. Lærerstudentenes refleksjoner om egen læringsprosess og undervisningsplaner de utviklet i kurset, er analysert med TPACK-rammeverket for teknologisk, pedagogisk innholdskunnskap (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Hensikten var å få innsikt i lærerstudentenes bakgrunnskunnskap og kunnskapsbehov, samt å undersøke muligheter for å undervise programmering i for­bindelse med datasimuleringer i naturfag. Lærerstudentene opplevde de tekniske sidene ved programmeringen som utfordrende. Men de klarte å kombinere sin teknologiske kompetanse med pedagogisk, naturfaglig og naturfagdidaktisk kompetanse for å lage undervisningsplaner. Disse undervisningsplanene fokuserte på elevenes læring av natur­fag, teknologi og naturfaglig utforsking og modellering. Dette viser at å benytte pro­grammering i lærerutdanningen er viktig for lærerstudentenes TPACK-utvikling og bidrar til deres evne til å lage naturfagundervisning med disse verktøyene.

This study analyses pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs’) experiences of working with models and modelling and their ideas about their usefulness in science education. Although several studies have investigated pre- and in-service teachers’ views on models and modelling, research is lacking in the Norwegian context. This study addresses this gap by exposing PSTs to a one-day course on modelling in chemistry and exploring their ideas through focus-group interviews. We found that teaching using modelling-related activities promoted PSTs’ understanding of models and modelling, especially relating to the scope and limitations of models. Additionally, the PSTs increased their understanding of why such learning activities are important and how to incorporate them while teaching science. Norwegian PSTs responded positively to modelling-based teaching, which seemed to promote metacognition and critical thinking. Therefore, modelling-based teaching could be an effective tool for educating science teachers in how to promote such skills in their classrooms.