Pre-service Science Teachers' Construction and Interpretation of Graphs

N Remziye Ergül

doi:10.13189/ujer.2018.060113

Abstract

Data and graphic analysis and interpretation are important parts of science process skills and science curriculum. So it refers to visual display of data using relevant graphical representations. One of the tools used in science courses is graphics for explain the relationship among each of the concepts and therefore it is important to know data analysis, graph construction and interpretation. This study investigates pre-service science teachers' construction and interpretations of graphs in two different domains: mathematics and physics. Qualitative research methods were used and therefore a purposive sample of 11 pre-service science teachers is engaged in think-aloud interviews while completing the questionnaire that includes eleven open-ended questions, designed by researcher at four different categories. These categories are: recognition as a mathematical graph, Interpretation of the graph, to draw graphs for a given problem and to create a problem on a given graphic. In addition, the pre-service science teachers were asked in which questions they experienced difficulties. Content analysis method was used for data analysis. Results showed that pre-service science teachers do not have enough success in interpreting given graph, drawing graph for a given problem and identifying variables in a given scientific problem.

Highlights

Besides knowing about concepts of science and mathematics, students' acquiring the attitude of thinking and behaving like a science person occupies an important place among the goals of education as well
Among the reasons can be shown the forgetting of mathematical knowledge and relationally the inability to use this knowledge in physics lessons and analyze the mathematical structure of physical formulas
Boote [15] investigated the line graph interpretation skills of the 13-14-year-old students having received mathematics and science education and factors affecting these interpretations and reached the result that mathematical knowledge is important in the interpretation of graphs and emphasized the result that mathematical methods used by students cannot be observed through the multiple-choice type evaluations

Summary

Introduction

Besides knowing about concepts of science and mathematics, students' acquiring the attitude of thinking and behaving like a science person occupies an important place among the goals of education as well. One of the ways of organizing and making sense of statistical data is drawing graphs. According to Glazer [1], together with data organization and interpretation depending on gradually growing importance of scientific research skills, graph interpretation competencies have become an important factor in terms of understanding today's world and scientific literacy and graph interpretation competencies, for example, are affected by many factors such as features of graphs, content of the graph and knowledge structure of the interpreter. In order to cope with skills such as possessing critical thinking skills emphasized as the 21st century requirements, applying knowledge to new situations, analyzing information, comprehending new ideas, possessing communication and cooperation skills, problem solving, using technology and making decisions, students need more than working on main subjects (21st century workforce commission). Together with the increasingly growing information and technology, graphs and visual data presentations in tables have turned into daily life activities and increased information age literacy in many areas and

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