Preservice teachers’ motivations for choosing science teaching as a career and their epistemological beliefs: Is there a relationship?

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate motivations behind pre-service teachers’ science teaching career choice by adopting a relatively new approach. Apart from uncovering the motivations behind the teaching career choice, we have also determined epistemological beliefs that are potentially relevant to these motivations. Our sample included 393 first year pre-service science teachers (PSTs) in a Turkish context. We administered questionnaires about epistemological beliefs and motivations for choosing science teaching. The results show that social utility values and job security are the top motivations. In addition, epistemological beliefs, particularly beliefs in omniscient authority and innate learning, predict particular motivations.