Prospective Chemistry Teachers Research Articles

An Analysis of Prospective Chemistry Teachers’ Attitudes towards Information and Communication Technologies, and of Their Confidence in Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge

An Analysis of Prospective Chemistry Teachers’ Attitudes towards Information and Communication Technologies, and of Their Confidence in Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Prospective teachers views about video-enhanced general biology instruction

The aim of the study is to determine the views of the prospective physics and chemistry teachers about the video-enhanced General Biology instruction. The participants included 19 second-year prospective teachers (10 in Physics and 9 in Chemistry Education) at Necatibey Faculty of Education, Balikesir University, Turkey in the 2011-2012 academic years. Data were collected using semi-structured interview technique and analyzed by descriptive and content analysis techniques. The results of the study showed that the video-enhanced General Biology instruction increased the participants’ interest in biology and made learning more permanent. However, a few participants complained about problems such as language that the videos showed in the courses was mostly in English, Internet connections, opening video links and downloading videos. There is a need for more video clips related to biology concepts on a university level in the Turkish language or it may be useful to translate videos from English to Turkish. Teachers should be more competent in the more effective use of educational tools such as websites and videos in biology courses. Key words: Video, video-enhanced instruction, General Biology, prospective teachers, qualitative research, biology education.

Developing Module of Practical Chemistry Physics SETS Vision Activity to Increase Science Process Skills of Student Teacher

Competencies required for prospective chemistry teachers include enhancer chemistry learning in the laboratory and field, designing experiment for learning or research, and carrying out experiments in the right method. For the time being, the implementation of Physical Chemistry lab work in Chemical Education Departmen of IAIN Walisongo was conducted through recipes models. Practical guidance and instrument have been provided by laboratory. The model therefore fosters less spirit in searching knowledge. To achieve competency of prospective chemistry teachers, the researcher has developed laboratorium guideline that feature SETS vision. The purpose of this study was to obtain a valid and effective guideline that feature SETS vision, which can be used as a reference in the laboratory work through R & D study. The learning materials which are practiced in the studies were electrochemistry which includes: Nernst equation; electrolysis; electroplating. Based on the final analysis, the guidelines has an average score of 4 (Very Valid) from expert validators. 16 out of 21 students scored ≥ 70. It indicates that SETS can improve students’ Science processing skills with N-gain of 0.6 (medium). The performances, preparation of reports, SETS discussions, and classroom presentation have high criteria. The developed guideline received high positive responses from students.

Prospective chemistry teachers' mental models of vapor pressure

The main purpose of this study was to identify prospective chemistry teachers' mental models of vapor pressure. The study involved 85 students in the Chemistry Teacher Training Department of a state university in Turkey. Participants' mental models of vapor pressure were explored using a concept test that involved qualitative comparison tasks. Additionally, 18 participants were interviewed to explore the mental models that emerged more deeply. The researcher analyzed responses using the constant comparative method to document participants' mental models and associated reasoning patterns in sufficient detail to be of practical use to instructors. Initial analysis of the data revealed that participants have many misconceptions about vapor pressure, which are similar to those reported in the literature. A more detailed constant comparative analysis revealed that these misconceptions derived mainly from three faulty mental models of vapor pressure: (1) vapor pressure of a liquid depends on the total number of vapor particles; (2) once the liquid–vapor equilibrium is established, the number of vapor particles is fixed and does not change regardless of the external effects on the system; and (3) vapor pressure is exerted only onto the surface of the liquid. The results have practical implications for teaching vapor pressure and science in general. By eliciting the underlying mental models of vapor pressure, these findings provide valuable insights for effective instructional interventions to address misconceptions.

Are creative comparisons developed by prospective chemistry teachers evidence of their conceptual understanding? The case of inter- and intramolecular forces

The aim of this study is to determine prospective chemistry teachers' creative comparisons about the basic concepts of inter- and intramolecular forces, and to uncover the relationship between these creative comparisons and prospective teachers' conceptual understanding. Based on a phenomenological research method, this study was conducted with 101 prospective chemistry teachers studying in the Chemistry Education Department at a state university in Turkey in the academic year 2011–2012. The research made use of two data collection instruments, a creative comparison questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The concepts of “non-polar covalent bonds, dipole–dipole force, hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, covalent bonds, polar covalent bonds, and van der Waals force” were set out in the creative comparison questionnaire and the prospective teachers were asked to complete the sentences about these concepts (example: ionic bond is like .......... because ...........). Content analysis techniques were employed in the analysis of the creative comparisons set out in the questionnaire. The analysis of the data revealed that the prospective teachers generally developed their creative comparisons based on the formation and strength of the different bonds and that they also had alternative conceptions, particularly regarding the formation of covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, and the van der Waals force. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to learn more about this and obtain detailed information about the level of understanding of the prospective teachers. Twelve prospective teachers were selected for the interviews on the basis of the creative comparisons they had developed in the creative comparison questionnaire. The analysis of the interviews showed that the level of conceptual understanding of the prospective teachers was not tightly linked to the complexity of their creative comparisons. However, it was seen that the creative comparisons submitted by the prospective teachers could be used to infer their conceptual understanding. Also, these creative comparisons could be helpful in determining what the prospective teachers' alternative conceptions were.

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCESS-TARGETED ACTIVITIES OF PROSPECTIVE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS DURING CONTINUOUS TEACHING PRACTICE: A RATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TEACHING METHODS ACCORDING TO THE EXPRESSED COMPETENCIES

The main aim of the teacher study program is to ensure the proper role of teaching practice, which is included in initial teacher training courses. It is necessary that teachers of chemistry gain or develop learner competencies for appropriate teaching/ learning in the chemistry subject by using innovative teaching methods. In terms of activities and methods correction of the continuous teaching practice model for prospective chemistry teachers in Pedagogical study program of 2nd degree "Educational Chemistry" which would ensure the creation of a competent chemistry teacher (active and innovative).The main result of the study is a list of potential competencies by prospective chemistry teachers using innovative teaching methods. These competencies can be developed and produced in the performance of activities defined by using continuous teaching practice, particularly in the areas of testing and assessment, experiential and collaborative learning, and experimental (laboratory and field) work. Each of these components is separately assessed by activity and competence. Key words: continuous teaching practice (role), innovative teaching methods, learners’ competencies, potential competencies by prospective chemistry teachers.

Assessing prospective chemistry teachers' understanding of gases through qualitative and quantitative analyses of their concept maps

The use of concept mapping as a tool to measure the meaningful learning of students is the focus of this study. The study was carried out with 24 last year students (22 years old) from the Department of Chemistry Teaching at Fatih Faculty of Education, Karadeniz Technical University (KTU). Prospective Chemistry Teachers (PCT) were asked to create concept maps using a list of given concepts related to gases. An examination of the PCTs' maps revealed that the students could not form hierarchical maps even after being shown examples of the basic elements and meaningful propositions between the concepts. After being provided with feedback about their concept maps and trained to form non-hierarchical concept maps, the students were asked to create new maps. This time they were allowed to use either hierarchical or non-hierarchical maps. When their new maps were examined, we found that most of the PCTs formed non-hierarchical maps. However, they still could not form meaningful relationships between the given concepts. We also found that the PCTs had some misconceptions about gases and kinetic molecular theory that explains gas behavior. The study ended up with some suggestions and implications for educators and researchers related to pre-service teachers' training.

Designing Authentic Learning Environments in Chemistry Lessons: Paving the Way in Pre-Service Teacher Education

Authenticity has recently become a popular term in science education. A study focusing on authenticity in the sense of making chemistry lessons better resemble chemistry practice is carried out at the University of Cologne in the Institute of Chemical Education, where prospective chemistry teachers are trained. In the long run an innovative module shall be developed, which challenges teacher students’ pre-conceptions about characteristics of chemistry practice and supports them in translating their conceptions into authentic learning environments. This paper presents the first part of the project in which course elements to stimulate reflection on students’ attitudes were evaluated. Moreover the students were given an opportunity for teacher students to create a practical activity for pupils in order to detect aspects in which the students need more support, for example possible ways for this transformation or more experience with inquiry-based learning.

Pre-service Chemistry Teachers’ Expectations and Experiences in the School Experience Course

The purpose of this study is to investigate prospective chemistry teachers’ expectations and experiences of teaching practice. Six (four females and two males) pre-service chemistry teachers taking a School Experience II course participated in the study. A case study design was employed. The data were collected from multiple sources including observations, lesson plans, and semi-structured interviews before and after the school experience course. Pre-service teachers’ expectations and experiences were categorized regarding the faculty, placement school, and teaching practice. It was found that school experience courses are crucial for pre-service teachers in deciding whether to continue in the teaching profession. It is also concluded that the harmony between pre-service teachers’ expectations of and experiences in the school experience course had an influence on their opinions related to the teaching profession.

Prospective Chemistry Teachers’ Understanding of Boiling: A Phenomenological Study

This study investigates chemistry prospective teachers’ views regarding boiling phenomenon, and provides a concept analysis on the nature of boiling together with suggestions on how to teach boiling phenomenon in the light of literature and findings of this study. The sample of this study consists of 18 senior prospective chemistry teachers who attend chemistry teacher training program. Data were collected by discussions with the participants. The discussions were specifically focused on prospective teachers’ understanding of “internal pressure” and “vapor pressure” concepts which are often used in defining boiling point. The results showed that students have serious misconceptions on boiling phenomena. Finally, to remediate those misconceptions and to lead conceptual learning, a concept analysis and suggestions for teaching were presented in the light of the findings of this study and the literature.

Determination of relationship between prospective chemistry teachers’ scientific epistemological views, information commitments and online searching achievement

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between scientific epistemological views (SEV), information commitments (IC) and online searching achievement of prospective chemistry teachers. In order to measure prospective chemistry teachers’ epistemological views about science, SEV Questionnaire originally developed by Tsai and Liu (2005) and adapted by Lin and Tsai (2008) were used. And in order to examine prospective chemistry teachers’ evaluative standards and searching strategies of online science information, Information Commitments Survey (ICS) developed by Wu and Tsai (2005) were used. The relationship between scientific epistemological views, information commitments and online searching achievement of prospective chemistry teachers was examined.

Prospective chemistry teachers’ experiences of teaching practice

The purpose of this study is to investigate the prospective chemistry teachers’ experiences of teaching practice. This study employed the phenomenological method. Six prospective chemistry teachers enrolled in teaching practice course were selected by intensity sampling. The results indicated that teaching practice course was crucial in prospective teachers’ understanding and development of teaching profession. Interviewees said that teaching practice course caused them to be aware of their inadequacies in pedagogical content knowledge and characteristics of a good teacher. The findings of this study concluded that teaching practice is critical period for the prospective teachers in their development as a teacher.

The Effects of Internet-Assisted Chemistry Applications on Prospective Chemistry Teachers’ Cognitive Structure

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of internet-assisted chemistry applications on prospective chemistry teachers cognitive structures. Students were requested to answer two open ended questions. Answers by each student were gathered and evaluated by flow map method. “Bonding and hybridization” subjects were taught to control group with traditional teaching method and to experimental group besides traditional method internet-assisted applications were conducted. The same openended questions were given to both groups and their cognitive structures were examined once more. The differences between control and experimental groups’ cognitive structures were examined.

Prospective Chemistry Teachers’ Conceptions of Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics

This study aimed at identifying specifically prospective chemistry teachers’ difficulties in determining the differences between the concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics. Data were collected from 67 prospective chemistry teachers at Kâzım Karabekir Education Faculty of Atatürk University in Turkey during 2005-2006 academic year. Data collection performed through two different instruments. In order to determine prospective teachers’ difficulties in determining the differences between the concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics, a diagnostic test composed of five open-ended questions was specifically developed for this study. Thirteen participants (out of 67) were also interviewed in order to gather more information about the written responses. The analysis of results showed six major misconceptions about the difference between the concepts of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics indicating that the prospective chemistry teachers attempted to interpret the kinetics of several phenomena by using thermodynamics data. The findings reported here may contribute to understanding of undergraduates’ difficulties and can be utilized in research that develops teaching strategies to overcome such difficulties.

Prospective chemistry teachers’ competency of evaluation of chemical experiments in terms of science process skills

This study was conducted with the purpose of examining capacity to determine of Prospective Chemistry Teachers (PCT) Science Process Skills (SPS) on different chemistry experiments. The study was carried out with document analyses in the academic year of 2008–2009 at the Faculty of Education Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey. The sample group consists of a total number of 28 senior undergraduate students at the Department of Chemistry Teacher Education. This study was carried out within course of Chemistry Teaching Methods-1. Then each group selected an experiment and analyzed it in terms of SPS. Each SPS, in each experiment selected by the groups, were determined by researchers and these skills were compared with PCT’. According to the data obtained from PCT’ reports, it is found that SPS determined by PCT is limited when compared with researcher’ and also it is found that some skills were determined wrongly by PCT. In this case, the results indicated that PCT had difficulties in determining SPS and confused some steps of SPS with each other.

Prospective chemistry teachers’ learning styles and learning preferences

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between learning styles and learning preferences of 100 prospective chemistry teachers. And also the role of gender in learning preferences was examined. As data collection tool, Learning Style Inventory developed by Kolb (1985) and adapted to Turkish by Aşkar and Akkoyunlu (1993) was used in order to determine prospective chemistry teachers’ learning styles, and Learning Preferences Inventory developed by Loo (2004) was conducted in order to determine learning preferences of the participants. For the evaluation of the data, statistical analysis were applied.

Turkish Prospective Chemistry Teachers' Alternative Conceptions about Acids and Bases

The purpose of this study was to obtain prospective chemistry teachers' conceptions about acids and bases concepts. Thirty‐eight prospective chemistry teachers were the participants. Data were collected by means of an open‐ended questionnaire and semi‐structured interviews. Analysis of data indicated that most prospective teachers did not have difficulties about macroscopic properties of acids and bases. However, despite chemistry instruction, most of the prospective teachers were found to have problems in understanding the neutralization concept, the distinction between strength and concentration of acids and linking the acids and bases topic to daily life. These findings have some implications for teacher education programs.

Prospective chemistry teachers’ misconceptions about colligative properties: boiling point elevation and freezing point depression

This study aimed at identifying prospective chemistry teachers’ misconceptions of colligative properties. In order to fulfill this aim, a diagnostic test composed of four open-ended questions was used. The test was administered to seventy-eight prospective chemistry teachers just before qualifying to teaching in secondary schools. Nine different misconceptions were identified and qualitatively discussed. The results have implications for teaching colligative properties and in general tertiary level teaching, suggesting that a substantial review of teaching strategies is needed.

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.

HOW CAN STUDENTS-TEACHERS ACQUIRING COMPETENCES FROM LECTURE AND SEMINAR ACTIVITIES BY PROMPTING DIDACTIC PRINCIPLES

This study is focused on the curricular innovations of methodological subjects for acquiring of teachers competences at undergraduate education where students as prospective chemistry teachers serve as a goal group. The redesign of the curricular forms thus introduced (such as Lectures, Seminars, Didactic /Laboratory Practical Courses and Mentor work) is based on consistent consideration of topical didactic principles. Research into the optimal forms for curriculum performance focuses particularly on their organisation, methodology and evaluation. These three model parameters serve to implement student activity and autonomy, goal-oriented process learning and democratic relations to ensure realisation of the competences necessary for carrying out the teaching and learning model. The active development and acquisition of subject didactic competences is accompanied by three issues: “What? How? Why? and the following infinitives: “to preserve, to innovate and to abandon”. Key words: teaching skills and competences, student autonomy, didactic principles, curricular forms of methodological programme.