Controversial issues are a common occurrence in biology education, and it is important for prospective biology teachers to be prepared to address them in the classroom. However, research has shown that prospective biology teachers often lack the knowledge and skills to effectively argue about controversial issues. This study investigates how prospective biology teachers argue about controversial issues, and how their argumentation can be improved.

Participants

The participants in this study were 20 prospective biology teachers enrolled in a secondary science education program at a large public university. The participants were all in their senior year of college and had completed all of the required coursework for the biology teaching major.

Data collection

Data were collected from the participants through a variety of methods, including:

* Semi-structured interviews

* Classroom observations

* Document analysis

The interviews were conducted individually with each participant and lasted approximately 60 minutes. During the interviews, the participants were asked to discuss their beliefs about controversial issues in biology, their experiences arguing about controversial issues in the classroom, and their strategies for teaching about controversial issues.

The classroom observations were conducted during the participants' student teaching placements. The observations focused on the participants' interactions with students during discussions of controversial issues.

The document analysis focused on the participants' written work, including lesson plans, assignments, and exams. The documents were analyzed for evidence of the participants' knowledge and skills in arguing about controversial issues.

Data analysis

The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. This approach allowed the researchers to develop a theory about how prospective biology teachers argue about controversial issues based on the data collected.

Results

The results of the study showed that prospective biology teachers often lack the knowledge and skills to effectively argue about controversial issues. They often rely on personal beliefs rather than evidence to support their arguments, and they are often unable to acknowledge or address opposing viewpoints.

The study also found that prospective biology teachers can improve their argumentation skills through professional development. Professional development programs that focus on teaching prospective biology teachers about the nature of science, the role of evidence in argumentation, and the importance of acknowledging and addressing opposing viewpoints can help to improve their ability to argue about controversial issues in the classroom.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that prospective biology teachers need more support in learning how to argue about controversial issues. Professional development programs can help to provide this support and improve the ability of prospective biology teachers to teach about controversial issues in the classroom.