Chemistry Teacher Candidates Research Articles

The Views of Teacher Candidates on the Project Management Competencies

The aim of this research is to determine the views and knowledges of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics teacher candidates who are studying non-thesis master's program at Instıtue of Science about the application of Project-based learning and its implementation in learning environment. In today's world, scientific knowledge is changing and being updated rapidly due to the developments in science and technology. In parallel to this development, Project-based learning approach could be used to teach ways of accessing knowledge instead of transferring knowledge. In order to determine the teacher candidates' views on project-based learning approach, a questionnaire consisting of 28 questions was prepared and teacher candidates were asked to answer the questions. In addition, the teacher candidates were asked to answer three open-ended questions to determine the difficulties encountered during the course, contributions of this course and to indicate the reasons for finding themselves sufficient or insufficient while managing a project related to their subject.

The Relationship Between Teacher Self-efficacy and Competency Erceptions of Chemistry Teacher Candidates

In this study, the relationship between teacher self efficacy and special field competency of chemistry teacher candidates will be examined. The study group of the study is composed of teacher candidates of chemistry. Chemistry Special Field Competency Scale developed by Güneş, Kavak and Yamak (2011) has been used in order to determine chemistry special field competency of teacher candidates. The data of self efficacy of teacher candidates have been collected by “Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale” developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) and of which study of validity and reliability of Turkish form is being done by Çapa, Çakıroğlu and Sarıkaya (2005). It has been found out that there is a positive and medium relationship between chemistry special field competency and teacher self efficacy beliefs of chemistry teacher candidates.

Factors that are Influential in Pre-service Chemistry Teachers' Choices of Instructional Strategies in the Context of Methods of Separation of Mixtures: A Case Study

This study examined the factors that influenced secondary school chemistry teacher candidates' choices of instructional methods in the context of "separation of mixtures" topic. The participants were six senior pre-service chemistry teachers following the Teaching Experience Course. Semi-structured interviews, lesson plans, participants' reflections on their teaching and observation of participants' instruction on the "separation of mixtures" were the data gathering instruments. Qualitative analysis showed that various factors affected pre-service teachers' teaching decisions. Among these factors were mentors, students, the topic taught, general pedagogical knowledge, own learning styles, subject matter knowledge, concerns about classroom management, and availability of materials.

Teaching about ethics through socioscientific issues in physics and chemistry: Teacher candidates' beliefs

AbstractThe purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and explain the origins of physics and chemistry teacher candidates' beliefs about teaching about ethics through socioscientific issues (SSI). This study utilized a series of in‐depth interviews, while the participants (n = 12) were enrolled in a 9‐month teacher education program at an urban university in Canada. Our data analysis revealed that beliefs about teaching physics and chemistry using SSI derive from a complex web of fundamental beliefs exemplified by four archetypes representing the subject‐specific identities of our teacher candidates—Model Scientist/Engineer, Model Individual, Model Teacher, and Model Citizen. Furthermore, we found that the justification for belief change required by a particular teacher candidate depends on these subject‐discipline identities. Thus, the presence of each archetype in preservice classrooms has ramifications for the way a teacher educator should encourage his or her students to include SSI in their teaching. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47: 380–401, 2010

Exploring chemistry teacher candidates’ profile characteristics, teaching attitudes and beliefs, and chemistry conceptions

The curricula of teacher education need periodic revisions to respond to the evolution of educational objectives. Teachers’ beliefs, as well as their characteristics, teaching attitudes and competency in their subject matter play a decisive role in the success of any reform. In this study, a cross-sectional survey was conducted across years 1-5 of a teacher training program at a university in a metropolitan area in Turkey, seeking to outline prospective chemistry teachers’ profile and understand their teaching beliefs and attitudes toward teaching as a profession. As a second facet, an investigation of prospective teachers’ understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts was conducted, including the concepts of element, compound, the particulate nature of matter and chemical bonding. One hundred and forty chemistry teacher candidates (more women than men) responded to the beliefs and attitudes surveys. Chemistry concept probes were answered by group combinations of first, fourth and fifth year students. The results highlight positive attitudes and intentions of the participants about having teaching as a profession. Final year students appear to hold less traditional teaching beliefs than their year 3 and 4 peers, most likely because of their participation in courses on chemistry methods. Insufficient levels of understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts and common alternative conceptions were uncovered. Suggestions are made in regards to restructuring teacher preparation curricula and courses to allow for confrontation of beliefs and to be more conceptually challenging as well as practice based.

Towards Treating Chemistry Teacher Candidates as Human

This research inquiry investigates the factors influencing chemistry teacher candidates’ development during their extended practica in the second and final year of an After-Degree Bachelor of Education at a university in central Canada. A variety of data sources are used to identify the risk and protective factors impeding and contributing to the achievement of their chemistry pedagogical aspirations. Two theoretical frameworks, both having their origins in the pioneering work of Kurt Lewin, are used to conceptualize how a complex amalgam of personal attribute and environmental factors and the interplay among these factors influence teacher candidate developmental trajectories. The tenets of both Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model and Learning Environment research provide insights into how the factors influencing teacher candidate development can be understood and systematically documented to provide a template for reflective consideration of the practicum experience for both teacher candidates and those involved in fostering the development of chemistry teacher candidates.