Qualitative Study: An Analysis of Pre-service Science Teachers' Understanding About Scientific Inquiry and Their Confidence in Inquiry-Based Science Pedagogy

The study aimed to analyze the pre-service science teachers' (PSSTs) understanding about scientific inquiry and their confidence in Inquiry-Based Science Pedagogy. The study population composed of all the students of the 4th year/ 8th level enrolled with the program of pre-service teachers' preparation at the faculty of science and arts/ Najran University. Four sources of data was used: Structured focus group interviews; teaching performance observation card; Course content evaluation, In addition to a specific questionnaire developed according to the Likert-type scale (five-dimensional), which designed to support and confirm findings from the primary data sources. The data analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively then compared from all sources to generate assertions. The study appeared that most of the PSSTs have deficiency in understanding of the concept of scientific inquiry and some have misconceptions about it. And they have narrow and insufficient look about the nature of scientific inquiry nature, forms and levels, and its characteristics. Moreover, some PSSTs demonstrated fear and concern about the use of inquiry-based teaching in science teaching, while others showed their desire to use it in the future .The study indicate to failure of the teaching course to give the PSSTs adequate teaching skills and self-confidence to teach the science that is based on scientific inquiry. The study recommended to introduce inquiry processes in the university science curricula, and design a course for science teaching centered on inquiry and the strategies based on it. Keywords: Scientific Inquiry, pre-service science teachers', confidence in Inquiry-Based Science Pedagogy DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-5-0