THE EFFECT OF HANDS-ON CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS ON SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING READINESS

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of daily life-based chemistry experiments on prospective teachers’ views about science experiments of hands-on science and self-directed learning readiness. The sample of the research is the prospective teachers’ who are studying in Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education, and Department of Chemistry Education. The research is designed in a mixed method design. A single group pretest-posttest design was used in the quantitative dimension of the study. In the data analysis, the difference between prospective teachers’ opinion scores on hands-on science experiment and self-directed learning readiness scores. The qualitative dimension of the research was carried out in accordance with the situation pattern, and focus group interviews were conducted with the prospective teachers’ on the methodological methods used and the findings obtained helped explain the quantitative results. The data is collected with views about science of hands-on science experiments scale and self-directed learning readiness scale. In the quantitative findings of the study, it was determined that the prospective teachers' opinions about the use of hands-on chemistry experiments in their lessons and self-directed learning readiness developed. In qualitative findings, it is emphasized that such experimentation practices still bring chemistry lessons more enjoyable, provide information permanence, reinforce learning and benefit theoretical lectures.