Determination of the Opinions of Prospective Science Teachers About Biology Lessons Taught Through Distance Education

Abstract

This paper aims to determine the opinions of prospective teachers about biology lessons conducted through distance education during the pandemic. In the study, the focus group study technique was applied as one of the qualitative research methods. 15 prospective teachers from the Department of Science Education, studying in the 2nd, 3 rd, and 4th -grades in Siirt University, participated in this study. Questions were presented to the prospective teachers in the form of a semi-structured form and interviews were conducted separately for each grade and recorded. The data collected were analyzed via content analysis. Based on the findings of the study, the prospective teachers stated that they had internet-related and technical problems and they also failed to follow biology lessons due to their unsuitable home environment and ineffective communication processes. It was understood that the vast majority of prospective teachers preferred face-to-face evaluation rather than e-evaluation. To make biology lessons more efficient, it was recommended that prospective teachers should be obliged to attend classes, YouTube videos and animations should be added, classroom or laboratory lessons should be organized, WhatsApp groups should be created and question section should be added through these groups, and lessons should be synchronous rather than asynchronous.