Bridging courses for mathematics and science teacher students: Experts` position

Abstract

Transition from one study stage to another is not an easy thing. Graduates, who have chosen university studies, quite often face various academic difficulties. In many countries, universities preparing natural science and mathematics teachers hold so-called bridging courses at the beginning of studies. The main purpose of such courses is to decrease the gap between what was learnt at the secondary school and what is necessary at university. In Lithuanian universities, preparing future teachers, bridging course application practice is very poor. It is known very little about the demand of such courses, possible content, structure, realization possibilities. This creates a clear problematic field.
A qualitative research was carried out, in which 11 Lithuanian university lecturers-experts took part. The collected data was analysed using content analysis method. It was ascertained that the demand of bridging courses existed, and the students, who have entered a higher school, had school knowledge gaps, which could be at least partly fulfilled by appropriately prepared and realised such courses. It is difficult to evaluate the influence of a bridging course on students’ academic achievements without conducting a detailed research, however, if such courses were included in the programme, it is likely that the students’ study results would be better.
Keywords: bridging course, content analysis, qualitative research, university students.
*********** Cite as: Lamanauskas, V., & Šlekienė, V. (2020). Bridging courses for mathematics and science teacher students: Experts` position. In. E. Jaszczyszyn (Ed.), Edukacja dorosłych w XXI wieku [Adult education in the 21st century] (pp. 179-189). Instytut Kultury Regionalnej i Badań Literackich im. Franciszka Karpińskiego. ISBN 978-83-66597-01-3.