PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ EPISTEMOLOGIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Abstract

Keywords

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PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ EPISTEMOLOGIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Abstract

Students’ epistemologies play a crucial role in helping them construct knowledge. In addition, studying epistemological beliefs is important because they influence students’ motivation and affect students’ selection of learning strategies (Schommer, Crouse, & Rhodes, 1992; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997). The purpose of this study is to investigate primary pre-service science teachers’ epistemologies, their views about the nature of knowledge and learning in the physical sciences. Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science (EBAPS) (White et al., 1999) survey was used to collect data. EBAPS attempts to focus on epistemology to the extent possible, and also attempts to probe tacit, contextualized epistemological knowledge that may affect students’ science learning. In that case, it is important to attend pre-service science teachers’ epistemologies because it may assist us to explain the differences in their learning with research-based curricula, construct more effective curricula, and become better science instructors (Lising & Elby, 2005). The EBAPS survey was administered to primary pre-service science teachers at Bahrain Teachers College (BTC). Most of the pre-service science teachers have a great deal of difficult learning physical sciences and they behave like non-expert like

Keywords

• Epistemology, epistemological beliefs, physical science

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