Rethinking the Role of Foundations of Education Courses in Chemistry Teacher Preparation in Public Universities in Uganda

Abstract

Abstract Effective Chemistry teacher preparation requires more than subject knowledge; it also requires educational knowledge to understand learners, select appropriate pedagogies, manage classrooms, assess learning, and respond to diverse contexts. Foundations of Education courses provide philosophical, psychological, administrative, sociological, comparative, economic, historical, and curricular perspectives that enrich teachers’ understanding of education and support their professional development. However, their integration with Chemistry preparation and classroom practice has received limited attention in Ugandan public universities. This reflexive conceptual paper examines the contribution of Foundations of Education courses to Chemistry teacher preparation, its application in chemistry classroom practice, challenges affecting their integration with Chemistry subject preparation, and strategies for strengthening this integration. The paper adopts a reflexive conceptual approach, drawing on the author’s experience teaching Foundations of Education and supervising Chemistry Education students during school practice, alongside a critical and thematic synthesis of scholarly literature, Ugandan policy and curriculum documents, and relevant international frameworks sourced from Google Scholar, Web of Science, and institutional and government sources. Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) framework guides the analysis of how educational and Chemistry knowledge can be integrated into effective teaching. The analysis highlights the need for stronger curricular integration, collaboration between Foundations of Education and Chemistry departments, reflective school-practice supervision, and effective translation of educational theory into classroom practice. Strengthening these areas can enhance teacher preparation, Chemistry teaching, and progress towards SDG 4 (Quality Education).