Science Teachers' Views On Seasons And Climate Unit

Year 2024, , 127 - 145, 30.06.2024

Cihan Gülgün , Çağrı Avan , Vedat Akbaş

https://doi.org/10.55290/steam.1396563

Abstract

The seasons and climate unit, which is a unit requiring an interdisciplinary approach within the scope of the science course, is covered within the scope of the 8th grade middle school science course according to the recent change in the science curriculum. Within the scope of the study, we aimed to determine science teachers' views on the seasons and climate unit in terms of teacher readiness. Descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was preferred in the research process. During the process, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 volunteer science teachers and the data obtained was coded by two different people. While coding, a process in the target-objective-implementation plane was taken into consideration. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the place of the seasons and climate unit in the curriculum was found appropriate by the teachers, the fact that there were teachers who did not receive any training on this subject during their undergraduate education revealed misconceptions in the teaching of the subject, the subject was understandable by the students, the learning level of the students was tried to increase with modelling and experimentation, and the use of educational materials other than the textbook was emphasized. Findings of the study implicate that focusing on in-service training of teachers will be beneficial for teachers to use different teaching methods and techniques in their lessons.

Keywords

seasons, climate, science, measurement, assessment

References

• Akbaş, V. (2021). Investigation of attitudes of students in different school types towards geography lesson according to various variables (Kastamonu Example). Social Scientific Centered Issues, 3(1), 20-29.
• Alkış, S. (2006). Primary school students' perceptions of the concept of precipitation. Elementary Education Online, 5 (2), 126-140.
• Alkış, S. (2013). Investigation of primary school eighth grade students' ideas about the formation of seasons. Marmara Journal of Geography, (14), 107-120 .
• Altun, B., & Sarpkaya, P. Y. (2021). A case study on teachers' professional development. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 18(Special Issue of Educational Sciences), 4063-4106. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.932403
• Aydınözü, D., Sözcü, U., & Akbaş, V. (2016). The effect of EBA contents on student achievement in geography teaching. Black Sea Journal of Social Sciences, 8(15), 339-357.
• Bahar, M., Yener, D., Yılmaz, M., Emen, H., & Gürer, F. (2018). 2018 Science curriculum outcomes changes and science technology mathematics engineering (Stem) integration. Abant Izzet Baysal University Journal of Faculty of Education, 18(2), 702-735. https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2018.-412111
• Bayır, E., & Kahveci, S. (2021). Investigation of secondary school science textbooks in terms of the levels of inquiry-based teaching method. Gazi University Gazi Faculty of Education Journal, 41(3), 1295-1326.
• Bilir, A. (2011). Historical evolution of teacher training and employment policies in Turkey. Journal of Faculty of Educational Sciences, 44(2). 223-246. https://doi.org/10.1501/Egifak_0000001231
• Bolat, M. & Altınbaş, A. (2018). Determining the knowledge levels of prospective science and social studies teachers on seasons with parallel mixed method. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 9 (16), 950-983. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.435788
• Boz, E. (2019). Secondary school students' levels of understanding basic geographical concepts and misconceptions (Amasya province example) [Unpublished Master's Thesis] Amasya University. Creswell, J. W. (2018). Qualitative research methods. Siyasal.
• Çeken, R. (2020). Comparison of the contents related to the world and the universe in the science curriculum and science teacher education program courses. Academic Platform Journal of Education and Change, 3(2), 169-178.
• Doğan, E. E., Ekinci, R., & Doğan, D. (2020). Examination of studies on science textbooks. Journal of Human and Social Sciences Research, 9(5), 3479-3499. https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.734864
• Ecevit, T., & Şimşek, P. Ö. (2017). Evaluation of teachers' science concept teaching, identification and elimination of misconceptions. Elementary Education Online, 16(1), 129-150.
• Erdoğan, H., & Azizoğlu, N. (2022). 2018 Effects of life-based approach in secondary school science curriculum and science textbooks. Journal of Aegean Education, 23(1), 18-34.
• Eroğlu, M., & Özbek, R. (2020). Professional development of effective teachers. Journal of Dicle University Ziya Gökalp Faculty of Education, 1(37), 73-92.
• Filiz, S., & Gökmen, F. (2022). Secondary school teachers' opinions on the transitions from online to face-to-face education during the pandemic process. Journal of Education and Society Research, 9(2), 297-326. https://doi.org/10.17753/sosekev.1344624
• Genç, M. N. (2020). Investigation of 8th grade science textbook measurement and evaluation activities according to the international student assessment program's (PISA) science literacy competency level [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation] Yıldız Technical University.
• Geçici, E. F. (2022). Examining science teachers' views on distance education within the framework of pedagogical content knowledge [Unpublished Master's Thesis], Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University.
• Inandı, Y., & Gılıç, F. (2020). Development of teachers' career barriers scale. Mersin University Journal of Faculty of Education, 16(1), 15-31. https://doi.org/10.17860/mersinefd.669825 Kahramanoğlu, R. (2019). A review on teachers' proficiency levels for curriculum literacy. Journal of International Social Research, 12(65), 827-840.
• Kahveci, S., & Bayır, E. (2020). Analysis of science textbooks in terms of scientific process skills, levels of questioning research-based teaching method, STEM approach and readability [Unpublished Master's Thesis], Trakya University.
• Kapucu, M. S. (2014). Science teachers' views on the use of visual media in science and technology course. Pegem Journal of Education and Training, 4(2), 75-90.
• Karamustafaoğlu, S., Salar, U., & Celep, A. (2016). Teachers' views on middle school 5th grade science textbook. Gazi Journal of Educational Sciences, 1(2), 93-118.
• Kaya, H., (2013). Why Geography? Why Geography Education? [Unpublished Master's Thesis], Gazi University.
• Kızılçaoğlu, A. (2006). Geography education and teaching at the first level of primary education. Marmara Geography Journal, (14), 81-106.
• Köse, M. (2021). Examination of middle school science textbooks in terms of measurement and evaluation. Erzincan University Journal of Faculty of Education, 23(2), 316-334.
• MoNE. (2018a). Social studies curriculum. Presidency of the Board of Education and Discipline.
• MoNE. (2018b). Science course curriculum.Presidency of the Board of Education and Discipline.
• MoNE. (2018c). Life science course curriculum. Presidency of the Board of Education and Discipline.
• MoNE. (2018d). Geography course curriculum. Presidency of the Board of Education and Discipline.
• Özcan, H. & Birgin A. (2021). Investigation of middle school students' understanding of the seasons: a mixed method research. Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University SBE Journal, 11(2), 992-1009. https://doi.org/10.30783/nevsosbilen.872543
• Özcan, H., Oran, Ş., & Arık, S. (2018). A comparative analysis of 2013 and 2017 science curricula according to teachers' opinions. Başkent University Journal of Education, 5(2), 156-166.
• Özdemir, Ü., Alım, M., Özdemir, Ü., & Yılar, B. (2010). 5th grade students' level of understanding some geography concepts and misconceptions. Atatürk University Journal of Institute of Social Sciences, 11 (1) , 151-162 .
• Öztanrıkulu, M. (2020). Exploring the effectiveness and the purposes of web based materials used in science classes [Unpublished Master's Thesis], Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University.
• Pınar, A., & Akdağ, H. (2012). Pre-service social studies teachers' level of understanding the concepts of climate, wind, temperature, precipitation, erosion, ecology and map. Elementary Education Online, 11(2), 530-542.
• Saklan, H., & Ünal, C. (2019). The opinions of science teachers about the place of EBA among digital education platforms. Ondokuz Mayis University Journal of Education Faculty, 38(1), 19-34. https://doi.org/10.7822/omuefd.431247
• Sneider, C., Bar, V. & Kavanagh, C. (2011). Learning about seasons: a guide for teachers and curriculum developers. Astronomy Education Review, 10(1), 1-22.
• Semercioğlu, M., G., Kalkan, H., & Akdemir, E., (2019). Determination of Teachers' Misconceptions on the Subject of Seasons, 1st International Informal Learning Congress. Nevşehir, Turkey.
• Sürücü, A., & Ünal, A. (2018). Examining teacher behaviors that increase and decrease student motivation. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 8(14), 253-295.
• Şahin, C., & Belge, R. (2016). The geographical determinizm in İbn Khaldun. Academic Overview International Refereed Journal of Social Sciences, (57), 439-467.
• Şantaş, H. K. (2017). Investigation of the use of multimodal descriptions for physics and biology topics in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science textbooks. [Unpublished Master's Thesis], Akdeniz University.
• Tekbıyık, A. & Akdeniz, A. R. (2008). Teachers' opinions on the acceptance and implementation of elementary science and technology curriculum. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2 (2), 23-37.
• Turan, İ., (2006). Classroom teaching program students' geographical concepts learning levels and memorization, Journal of National Education, 34(170).
• Ural Keleş, P. (2018). 2017 Science curriculum: fifth grade science teachers' opinions on the science curriculum. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 6 (3), 121-142.
• Yıldız Yılmaz, N., & Tabacu, G. (2017). Examining science 3rd and 4th grade curriculum and textbooks in terms of place-based. Abant Izzet Baysal University Journal of Faculty of Education, 17(3), 1584-1605.
• Yılmaz, E., & Laçin Şimşek, C. (2017). The solar system and beyond: space riddle" how teachers process this unit. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 7(2), 252-267.
• Yılmaz, E. O., & Toker, T. (2022) How the covid-19 pandemic affected teachers' digital competencies. Journal of National Education, 51(235), 2713-2730. https://doi.org/10.37669/milliegitim.896996
• Yücel, M., & Karamustafaoğlu, S. (2020). Teachers' opinions about middle school 5th and 6th grade science textbooks. Amasya University Journal of Faculty of Education, 9(1), 93-120.