Improving Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Process Skills and Views about Scientific Inquiry

Abstract

Despite the importance of scientific inquiry in science education, research has shown that pre-service teachers have deficiencies in terms of knowledge and skills. This study aimed to improve pre-service teachers’ science process skills and views about scientific inquiry through inquiry-based activities. This study was carried out with one group pretest-posttest experimental design. A total of 41 (30 females, 11 males) pre-service teachers attending a classroom teaching program of a university in Turkey participated in this study. Within the scope of a science and technology laboratory course, scientific inquiry activities were carried out. As the data collection instruments, the Views about Scientific Inquiry (VASI) and the Scientific Process Skills Test (SPSt) were administered to the pre-service teachers before and after the implementation. In conclusion the pre-service teachers’ views and skills about doing scientific inquiry developed. The findings were discussed in terms of the scientific process skills involved in scientific inquiry and the development of practical and theoretical aspects of scientific inquiry.

Keywords

• Pre-service classroom teachers,the views about scientific inquiry (VASI),science process skills (SPS

Sınıf Öğretmen Adaylarının Bilimsel Süreç Becerilerinin ve Bilimsel Araştırma Hakkındaki Görüşlerinin Geliştirilmesi

Öz

Fen eğitiminde bilimsel araştırmanın oldukça önemli bir yeri vardır. Bu öneme rağmen araştırma sonuçları öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel araştırma ile ilgili bilgi ve becerilerinde eksikliklerin olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu araştırmanın amacı sınıf öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel süreç becerilerinin ve bilimsel araştırmaya yönelik görüşlerinin bilimsel araştırmalar yardımı ile geliştirilmesidir. Tek grup öntest-sontest deneysel desende yürütülen bu araştırmaya Türkiye’de yer alan bir üniversitenin sınıf eğitimi anabilim dalında öğrenim gören toplam 41 (30 kadın, 11 erkek) öğretmen adayı katılmıştır. Fen ve teknoloji laboratuvarı dersi kapsamında bilimsel araştırma etkinlikleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veri toplama aracı olarak Bilimsel Araştırmaya Yönelik Görüş Anketi ve Bilimsel Süreç Becerileri Testi kullanılmıştır. Veri toplama araçları sürecin başında ve sonunda sınıf öğretmen adaylarına uygulanmıştır. Sonuç olarak öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel araştırmaya yönelik görüş ve bilimsel süreç becerilerinin bilimsel araştırmalar ile geliştiği görülmüştür. Sonuçlar bilimsel araştırma yapmanın beceri ve görüşü geliştirmesi konusunda teorik ve uygulamalı olarak tartışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sınıf öğretmen adayları,bilimsel araştırmaya yönelik görüş,bilimsel süreç becerileri (BSB)

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