Challenges faced by pre-service chemistry teachers teaching in a laboratory and their solution proposals

This study examines the challenges faced by pre-service chemistry teachers teaching in a laboratory and their proposed solutions to these challenges. The study was conducted in a 13-week-long methodology course. Written statements from participants and observations from researchers were used as data sources. From these data, it was found that the participants faced challenges related to content knowledge and connections, laboratory and experiments, students, planning and implementing instruction and general teacher qualifications. In terms of solutions, various ideas were proposed, such as improved development of content knowledge, pre-lesson preparation and the acquisition of professional experience. The challenges expressed by participants differed from those observed by the researchers and increased during the length of the course. In addition, their proposed solutions were not sufficient, coherent or explicit.