Chapter 13: Transforming Science Teaching and Science Teacher Education Through an Australian University–School Partnership

This chapter reports on empirical study that examined the impact of two distinctive university–school partnerships involving two teacher educators, pre-service teachers, in-service teachers and their primary-aged students from two regional primary schools. The study took place in Gippsland, Australia and was underpinned by a science education subject embedded in a Bachelor of Education degree that involved the delivery of science lessons by pre-service teachers with children in outdoor settings. In asking the question how can a university–school partnership shape and inform science teaching and science teacher education, the chapter draws on a data set of focus group and individual interviews with pre-service and in-service teachers. The chapter contends that university–school partnerships make an important contribution to education, particularly in relation to science teaching and science teacher education. We contend the place-based partnership frameworks will be of interest to those teacher educators and in-service teachers looking to enrich and renew educational practice more broadly, as well as in the science domain.