Gains of Physics Teacher Candidates in History of Science Course Conducted by Research and Discussion Approaches

Year 2012, Volume: 1 Issue: 1 - ISSUE 1, - , 24.09.2012

Güner Tural

Abstract

History of science is important for students to understand the nature of science (Matthews, 1994). Researchs are also available revealing the significant contribution of history of science to understand the nature of science (Klopfer and Cooley, 1963; Yager and Wick, 1966; Solomon et al., 1992; Roach, 1993; Abd-El-Khalick, 2000; Irwin, 2000; Lonsbury and Ellis, 2002; Malamıtsa et al., 2005; Seker and Welsh, 2006). To understand the students how to develop the scientific knowledge, how the historical, philopsical and technological contexts affect this development will ensure more comprehensive look to science. So they will be more willing to learn the science (Justi and Gilbert, 2000).
The purpose of this study is to examine gains of physics teacher candidates with their own perspectives about the history of science course and researches in this course. Physics teacher candidates having desired gains in the history of science course will affect positively their students having gains relating to physics lesson.
The research was carried out with 30 physics teacher candidates from Ondokuz Mayıs University in History of Science Course in 2010-2011 academic years. In the course process, firstly the issues were addressed on definition of science and science history, origin of science, power of science, characteristics of scientific knowledge, property of scientific development, Antique Era, science in China, India, Middle East, Near East and Europe, relationship between science and technology, the scientific developments that have occurred since the beginning of the 20th century. Specifically, it is aimed to investigate the studies related to physical science as branch of teacher candidates is physics. In this context, teacher candidates were asked to research some of the issues in groups. The researches of groups were shared and discussion environment was created in the class. The data of the research consists of field notes of researcher and answers of open-ended questions directed to teacher candidates at the end of the term. Data were presented on the basis of descriptive analysis approach. To reflect the views of teacher candidates, direct quotations were presented.
It was observed that listener teacher candidates followed the explanations carefully, video and images projected by the groups. All teacher candidates state that they have learned new information relevant to their research. Teacher candidates think that the researches taught them to build relationship between physics and daily life. They reported that they understood the course content and gained behaviors as to be willing to research, awareness of scientific studies, understanding the contributions of scientific studies to development of community and importance of maintaining scientific studies, to show interest in science, to be able to comment on physics issues and to be willing to discuss.
Akerson et al. (2011) conducted a study with students different age groups for the teaching nature of science. In the research, many research-based instructional strategies were used. It was concluded that the students understanding of nature of science developed. Morgil et al. (2009) express that to develop students views about the nature of science, learning environments support scientific research and scientific inquiry such as project-based laboratory applications and educational practices are effective. Lin et al. (2002) state that students activities such as presentation, discussion, role-playing on activities of earlier scientist will make to construct their understanding rather than just remember these activities. Research and discussion approaches were used in this study, behaviors that teacher candidates stated they gained at the same time the behaviors we desired to gain them with history of science course.
It is thought the following factors are effective to gain mentioned behaviors within history of science course:
Processing the course with research and discussion approaches,
Arranging learning environment that supports teacher candidates research, share their researches and exchange ideas,
Including content related to physical science that branch of teacher candidates in addition to general history of science.
It is recommend to consider the program branch for content and to ensure teacher candidates rich learning environment supports thinking, research, discussion and application.
Keywords: The history of science, learning environment, physics teachers, research, discussion, technology.

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