LAUSR

This article documents a collaborative project involving preservice early childhood education students’ development of inquiry-based learning experiences alongside kindergarten students within a science methods course. To document this project, I utilized a multiple methods approach and data included classroom observations, transcripts from lesson planning sessions, preservice teachers’ reflection journals, kindergarten science journals, and pre- and post-measurements for preservice teachers on the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) (Chambers in Sci Educ 67(2):225–265, 1983) and the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Inventory—B (STEBI-B) (Enochs and Riggs in Sch Sci Math 90(8):694–706, 1990). Analysis of the DAST, STEBI-B, and qualitative data revealed that the preservice teachers developed stronger understandings of inquiry-based science and self-efficacy beliefs related to their practice following participation in the collaborative project. While development of inquiry understandings and efficacy-related beliefs improved throughout the project, the preservice teachers voiced concerns over the challenges of integrating inquiry instruction within pedagogically restrictive contemporary classroom environments. Additionally, this research strongly suggests the need for early childhood teacher educators to take an active role in the construction of teaching and learning experiences that promote opportunities for preservice teachers to experience the process of developing effective inquiry-based, integrated science experiences within the supportive environment of a teacher education program.