Preservice Teachers’ Views of Culturally Diverse Students:

This article reports on a research study that took place in a secondary science methods class and was designed to explore preservice science teachers’understanding of culturally diverse students. The framework for culturally relevant science was based on the constructs of critical science education laid out in Barton and Osborne’s (2001) introduction to Teaching science in diverse settings. The course was taught at an urban high school and involved high school students engaging in science inquiry activities with the preservice teachers followed by debriefings and instruction for the preservice teachers. Data were gathered about the preservice teachers’perceptions of culturally diverse students using a qualitative case study research design. Findings elaborate the preservice teachers’conceptions of urban students and perceptions of their roles as teachers. These views have the potential of informing science teacher preparation for culturally relevant science teaching.