Pre-service Biology Teachers’ Views on Bioinformatics and Its Instruction

Year 2022, , 2157 - 2179, 30.12.2022

Burak Gürkan , Ahmet Gökmen

https://doi.org/10.17152/gefad.1182238

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Bioinformatics, which is generally defined as the study and processing of biology information through computers, is a rapidly developing scientific field today. It is becoming an important part of biology education worldwide with its increasing applications in biotechnology, health, agriculture, chemistry, genome research, and many other fields. Therefore, it is important to determine the views of teacher candidates on bioinformatics in Turkey in terms of creating a human infrastructure trained in the field. The purpose of this research is to examine the views of pre-service biology teachers’ on bioinformatics and its instruction. The study group of the research, which uses the holistic single case design among the qualitative research methods, consists of 105 pre-service biology teachers who are studying at the Faculty of Education and pedagogical formation programs of a state university. The data of the research were obtained using a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers after the relevant literature search and obtaining expert opinions. The data obtained as a result of the research were analyzed by using descriptive and content analysis together. According to the results obtained at the end of the research, it was determined that the pre-service teachers did not have sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge, besides having positive views on the subject. Within this scope, it is recommended to integrate bioinformatics education into existing curricula, and to create learning contents and materials accordingly.

Keywords

Bioinformatics, Bioinformatics instruction, Pre-service biology teachers

Biyoloji Öğretmen Adaylarının Biyoinformatik ve Öğretimine İlişkin Görüşleri

Abstract

Genel olarak biyoloji bilgisinin bilgisayar aracılığıyla incelenmesi ve işlenmesi olarak tanımlanabilen biyoinformatik günümüzde hızla gelişen bir bilim dalıdır. Biyoinformatik, biyoteknoloji, sağlık, tarım, kimya, genom araştırmaları ve çok sayıda alanda giderek artan uygulamalarıyla dünyada biyoloji öğretiminin önemli bir parçası hâline gelmektedir. Bu bakımdan Türkiye'de biyoinformatik konusunda yetişmiş insan alt yapısının oluşturulması açısından öğretmen adaylarının konuya ilişkin görüşlerinin belirlenmesi önem kazanmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının biyoinformatik ve öğretimi konusunda görüşlerinin incelenmesidir. Nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden bütüncül tek durum deseninin kullanıldığı araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, bir devlet üniversitesinin eğitim fakültesi ve pedagojik formasyon programlarında öğrenimlerine devam eden 105 biyoloji öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri ilgili alanyazın taramaları ve uzman görüşlerinin alınması aşamalarından sonra araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda elde edilen veriler betimsel ve içerik analizi bir arada kullanılarak çözümlenmiştir. Araştırma sonunda elde edilen sonuçlara göre öğretmen adaylarının konuya ilişkin olumlu görüşlere sahip olmalarının yanında, yeterli teorik ve uygulama bilgilerinin olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Bu kapsamda biyoinformatik eğitiminin mevcut öğretim programlarına entegrasyonu, ders içerikleri ve materyallerin oluşturulması önerilmektedir.

Keywords

Biyoinformatik, Biyoinformatik öğretimi, Biyoloji öğretmen adayları, Bioinformatics instruction, Pre-service biology teachers

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