PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ EPISTEMOLOGIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Year 2015, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 1 - 6, 01.06.2015

Funda Örnek

Abstract

Keywords

-

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

References

• Abd-El-Khalik, F., Bell, R. L., & Lederman, N. G. (1998). The nature of science and instructional practice: making the unnatural natural. Science Education, 82, 417-436.
• Hofer, B. K. & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning. Review of Educational Research, 67, 88-140.
• Khishfe, R. (2008). The development of seventh graders’ views of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 45 (4), 470-496.
• Lederman, N. G. (2007). Nature of Science: Past, Present, and Future. In Abell, S.K. and Lederman, N.G. (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Science Education (p. 831-880). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Asso., Inc.
• Lising, L. & Elby, A. (2005). The impact of epistemology on learning: A case study from introductory physics. American Journal of Physics, 73 (4), 372-382.
• May, D. B., & Etkina, E. (2002). College physics students’ epistemological self-reflection and its relationship to conceptual learning. American Journal of Physics, 70(12), 1249-1258.
• Schommer, M., Crouse, A., & Rhodes, N. (1992). Epistemological beliefs and mathematical text comprehension: Believing it is simple does not make it so. Journal of Educational Psychology. 84 (4), 435–443.
• Songer, N. B. & M. C. Linn, M. C. (1991). How do students’ views of science influence knowledge integration?. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28 (9), 761–84.
• Perry, W. G. Jr. (1968).Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme. New York: Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
• White, B., Elby, A., Frederiksen, J., & Schwarz, C. (1999). The Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association, Montreal.