Changes in teaching conceptions from a reflective postgraduate training

Abstract

The beliefs or conceptions that teachers have about certain contents, in this case about practical laboratory activities in Biology, have a strong influence on teaching. For this reason it is essential to deal with them and analyze how to transform them. In this case, it was done through a didactic intervention in a postgraduate seminar at the National University of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands, Argentina. The group of students was made up of 4 teachers with diverse characteristics and profiles. An interview based on a questionnaire was used, which was analyzed qualitatively using the constant comparative method. In teachers in postgraduate training (PFP) there are conceptions and beliefs about practical laboratory activities similar to those found in other studies. They also recognize that it is difficult for them to get out of the prescription-type practices and their comfort zone, in addition they think that this situation also occurs in the students. Differences are observed between PFPs with and without teaching experience since those who do not have experience raise fears regarding student behavior. There are also important differences between the teachers who have initial training as teachers and those who only trained in the Biology (or related) discipline. It has been found that it is necessary to consider emotions and affective domain as part of the Didactic Content Knowledge (CDC) on practical activities. The PFPs noted some epistemological obstacles that shape their CDC and somehow condition their performance during laboratory activities. These are related to personal and training issues, content, student and institutional issues. It is necessary to design a specific continuous training process with the aim of promoting the change of previous beliefs.