Place'ing Doubt Within Preservice Teacher Education

This two-part study on students’ choice-narratives, self-understanding, and praxis in relation to a science Honours College (HC) at a preservice teacher programme in Denmark shows how sense of belonging mediated through place and room for doubt are pivotal to their meaningmaking. The study departs from an interest in the students’ praxis related to the HC that was
created with the intention of attracting more students to the STEM-field and empowering their self-understanding as future science teachers. Through agonistic interviews with students that did not apply for the HC, the first part of the study finds how they rule out the programme because it requires their entire dedication leaving no room for doubt and uncertainty. Using interviews supported through photo-elicitation, the second part of the study shows how
students’ longing for spatial belonging to the general teacher education was a strong reason for applying to the HC. In line with a social constructivist understanding of learning and identity we therefore suggest that a fulfilment of the ambition to attract and retain more and better science teachers relies on a stronger focus on the material aspects of education and on making
a place where students experience the legitimacy of doubt and error as their self-understanding as teachers emerge and transform.