Learning through perplexities in inquiry-based learning settings in teacher education

The concept of inquiry-based learning has become widespread in teacher education in Europe and beyond. Inquiry-based learning courses aim to raise the research competence of (preservice) teachers and to increase their ability for reflection, uncertainties occur that have to be learned to cope with. Uncertainties can be disorienting and may cause perplexities, doubts and crises. However, they can be the starting point for learning processes. This paper addresses whether preservice teachers experience such uncertainties in research courses and how they discuss them. To obtain data, 10 group discussions were carried out with 35 preservice teachers enrolled in research courses at a German university. The discussions were analysed using the documentary method. Preservice teachers experience a range of perplexities as expression of underlying uncertainties within and through the research process (concerning data collection and data analysis) and the course design. Results also show two different ways of dealing with such perplexities: While in some group discussions the preservice teachers accept the perplexities as challenges and starting points for learning, others distance from them. The paper discusses how the experienced perplexities and uncertainties focus on central aspects and tensions of teaching. Implications for teacher education at university level are presented.