Mental Models of Preservice Science Teachers on the Change in Day Length

Abstract

This present study purposed to reveal the mental models of science preservice teachers on the reason for the change in day length that is related to many disciplines. The study was conducted with 286 preservice teachers studying (at grades from 1^st to 4^th) in the department of science teaching of a university located in Black Sea Region in Turkey during 2017-2018 academic year. An open-ended question was asked to the preservice teachers. These answers were evaluated according to the descriptive analysis and were examined in 3 different models. It was also observed that the number of preservice teachers with a primitive model was the highest in the first grade, and that the number of preservice teachers with a synthesis model and a scientific model increased as the grade of education progressed. On the basis of the results of the study, it was recommended that it would be beneficial to create the teaching activities that will enable the preservice teachers to comprehend the shape and movements of the Earth and the events caused by their interaction with the Sun conceptually rather than memorization. 

Keywords

• Day Length,Mental Model,Science,Preservice Teacher

Fen Bilgisi Öğretmen Adaylarının Gün Uzunluğunun Değişimine İlişkin Zihinsel Modelleri

Abstract

Bu çalışmada pek çok bilim dalı ile ilişkisi olan gün uzunluğunun değişimi nedeniyle ilgili fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının zihinsel modellerini ortaya çıkarmak amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma 2017-2018 eğitim-öğretim yılında Türkiye’nin Karadeniz Bölgesi’ndeki bir üniversitenin fen bilgisi öğretmenliği bölümünde öğrenim görmekte olan (1, 2, 3 ve 4. sınıf) 286 öğretmen adayı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Öğretmen adaylarına açık uçlu bir soru yöneltilmiştir. Cevaplar betimsel analize göre değerlendirilerek, 3 farklı modelde incelenmiştir. İlkel modele sahip öğretmen adayının en fazla birinci sınıfta olduğu, sınıf düzeyi artıkça sentez model ve bilimsel modele sahip öğretmen adayı sayısının arttığı görülmüştür. Çalışma sonuçlarından yola çıkarak Dünya’nın şekli, hareketleri ve bunların Güneşle olan etkileşiminin sebep olduğu olayların öğretmen adaylarına ezbere bilgi yerine kavramsal olarak anlamasını sağlayacak öğretim etkinliklerinin yapılmasının yararlı olacağı önerilmiştir. 

Keywords

• Gün Uzunluğu,Zihinsel Model,Fen Bilgisi,Öğretmen Adayı

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