Comparison of the Chemistry Learning Motivations of the Science and Primary School Teacher Candidates

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare the chemistry learning motivations of the science and primary school teacher candidates. Participants of the study are composed of 98 science teacher candidates (71 female and 27 male) and 62 primary school teacher candidates (44 female and 18 male) studying at the departments of Science and Elementary teaching of the Education Faculty at Pamukkale University in the Spring Semester of the academic year 2012/2013. Totally, 160 Science and primary school teacher candidates studying at the first grade participated in the study. Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire (CMQ) composed of 22 five-point likert type scale questions were applied to the participants. Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficiency of the Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire was found to be 0.86. Gathered data was analyzed by using SPSS-15 software program. The results of the study showed meaningful differences between intrinsic motivation levels, personal appropriateness, self- determination and self-ability, extrinsic motivation and sub-dimension motivation levels of science and primary school teacher candidates. Motivations of Science teacher candidates were found to be higher than primary school teacher candidates in terms of these three sub-dimensions of motivation. However, anxiety level of being evaluated wasn't found to be significant. While the results of CMQ based on the item of gender variety did not show significant differences in terms of participants' intrinsic motivation, personal appropriateness, self determination and extrinsic motivation levels, the anxiety level of being evaluated was found to be significant and this difference was in favour of male candidates. (Anxiety level of males was found to be lower than female candidates). According to the gender difference variety, there wasn't found to be significant difference among primary school teacher candidates.