How Are Knowledge Structures of Pre-Service Biology Teachers on “Organic” Concept?

Year 2014, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 1 - 10, 29.10.2014

Mustafa Serdar Köksal , Esra Açıkgül Fırat Milan Kubıatko

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate knowledge structures of pre-service biology teachers on the “organic” concept. The study included two different samples for the first and second stages of the study, respectively. In the first stage, the participants (n=108) completed a word association task and they produced 172 concepts. 22 of the concepts indicated in higher frequency than 10 were given to the second group participants (n=20). The second group participants selected and used 9 of 22 concepts to develop concept maps in which “organic” concept was placed on the center. In addition, they wrote their definitions of organic and gave examples for it. By focusing on the concept maps and their definitions; knowledge structures of the participants were determined based on types of the maps, main titles found in the maps, links represented as sentences, definitions and the examples. The findings showed that two different types of the maps were determined as branched and hierarchical, also five main titles (food, chemistry, biology, health and agriculture) were found. Moreover, their definitions and examples also provided similar titles (food, chemistry, biology, health, textile and agriculture) except for textile. The links between the concepts in the concept maps, definitions and examples regarding organic concept showed that pre-service biology teachers had compartmentalized knowledge structures regarding “organic” concept. In conclusion, on associations between different concepts regarding “organic” concept, problems in terms of coherency were also determined.

Keywords

Pre-service biology teachers, knowledge structures, organic

How Are Knowledge Structures of Pre-Service Biology Teachers on “Organic” Concept?

Abstract

Bu çalışma, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının “organik” kavramıyla ilgili bilgi yapılarını incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma, araştırmanın birinci ve ikinci aşamaları için iki farklı örneklemi içermektedir. Birinci aşamada, katılımcılar (n=108) bir sözcük çağrışımı görevini tamamlamış ve 172 kavram üretmişlerdir. Daha sonra 10’dan fazla frekansa sahip olan 22 kavram ikinci grup katılımcılara (n=20) verilmiştir. İkinci grup, verilen 22 kelimenin 9’unu seçerek bu 9 kelimeyi “organik” kavramının merkezde yer aldığı bir kavram haritası geliştirmek için kullanmışlardır. Buna ek olarak, organikle ilgili kendi tanımlarını yazmış ve örnekler vermişlerdir. Kavram haritaları ve tanımlara odaklanılıp; haritalardaki ana başlıklar, cümleler, tanımlar ve örneklerin temsil ettiği bağlantıların bulunduğu haritaların türlerine dayanılarak katılımcıların bilgi yapıları belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, dallanmış ve hiyerarşik olmak üzere iki farklı harita türünün olduğunu göstermiş ve ayrıca haritalardan beş ana başlık (gıda, kimya, biyoloji, sağlık ve tarım) elde edilmiştir. Katılımcıların tanımları ve örneklerinin incelenmesi sonucunda da tekstil dışında benzer başlıklar (gıda, kimya, biyoloji, sağlık, tekstil ve tarım) elde edilmiştir. Organikle ilgili kavram haritaları, tanımlar ve örneklerdeki kavramlar arasındaki bağlantılar, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının “organik” kavramına ilişkin olarak bölümlenmiş bilgi yapılarına sahip olduklarını göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, "organik" kavramı ile ilgili farklı kavramlar arasındaki ilişkilerde anlaşılırlık bakımından sorunların olduğu söylenebilir.

Keywords

Biyoloji öğretmen adayları, bilgi yapıları, organic.

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