@article{article_70227, title={The Role of Playful Science in Developing Positive Attitudes toward Teaching Science in a Science Teacher Preparation Program}, journal={Eurasian Journal of Educational Research}, pages={67–88}, year={2015}, author={Bulunuz, Mızrap}, keywords={Playful science teaching and learning, attitude, positive social environment}, abstract={<p>Problem Statement: Research studies indicate that teachers with negative <br />attitudes toward science tend to use didactic approaches rather than <br />approaches based on students’ active participation. However, the reviews <br />of the national academic literature in Turkey located a few research <br />studies on the relationship between playful science experiences and <br />attitudes toward science. This study examines the following components <br />of attitudes: a) enjoyment of learning science and b) interest and <br />motivation toward science, the nature of the classroom environment, and <br />the content of group work. <br />Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to determine <br />preservice science teachers’ attitudes on the roles of playfulness, content of <br />group work, and the class atmosphere after taking a two-semester <br />required science methods course. <br />Methods: Data were collected by a survey and an open-ended question to <br />examine the role of playful science experiences and positive classroom <br />atmosphere on preservice science teachers’ attitudes toward learning and <br />teaching science. Forty-two preservice teachers participated in the study, <br />18 males and 24 females with an average age of 20. The course was <br />designed to model inquiry-based science teaching, and it focused on <br />discrepant event demonstrations and fun and playful hands-on activities <br />for preservice teachers. </p>}, number={58}, publisher={Özer DAŞCAN}