Science Teacher Candidates Research Articles

Virtual and Open Integration of Culture for Education (VOICE) with Science Teacher Candidates from Korea during COVID-19

Abstract Cultural competencies and confidence in teaching diverse students are needed to close achievement gaps between mainstream and minority students in science. In this study, an online teacher education program, Virtual and Open Integration of Culture for Education (VOICE), was designed to help retain teacher candidates’ science affinities and cultural competency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-two Korean teacher candidates were selected as culturally responsive instructors who were able to reduce their cultural bias and preferences about Korean culture and develop culturally responsive instruction. VOICE proceeded through (1) “collaborating,” by connecting seminar speakers worldwide; (2) “designing,” by creating culturally responsive science activities based on Korean culture; and (3) “performing,” by communicating with American students, teacher candidates, teachers, and parents. Pre- and post-survey results show that VOICE increased the teacher candidates’ cultural proficiency and interest in science. Guidelines for research on designing online programs to enhance teacher candidates’ science affinities and cultural competencies are provided.

The Effectiveness of STEM Education Applied with a Distance Education Approach

In this research, information about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Distance education was given to prospective sci-ence teachers and the integration of STEM into courses was emphasized. On the other hand, an experimental study was conducted to support the re-search on STEM Education and distance education. The study group of this research consisted of 328 science teacher candidates studying in the 4th grade of university. Some of these students were randomly selected as the experimental group and the others as the control group. In the study carried out in the science laboratory course, while the course was taught according to STEM Education and Distance Education in the experimental group; In the control group, the lessons continued as normal. The application in ques-tion was carried out based on a quasi-experimental study. The study was implemented during the 2020-2021 fall semester. Before the application, the learning level test, which was valid and reliable, was applied regarding the subjects. As a result of the application, a significant difference was found between the students in the experimental group and the students in the control group in favor of the experimental group in which STEM Educa-tion and Distance Education were applied. In line with these results, STEM Education and Distance Education were found to be effective in improving the success of university teacher candidates, and it was added to the re-search results.

Determination of Science Teacher Candidates’ Misconceptions on Liquid Pressure with Four-Tier Diagnostic Test

Determination of Science Teacher Candidates’ Misconceptions on Liquid Pressure with Four-Tier Diagnostic Test

The Role of Heuristics in the Reasoning Process of Pre-Service Science Teachers on the “Chemical Structure – Acidity/Basicity Relationship” Topic

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of 10 heuristics proposed by Talanquer on the reasoning processes of science teacher candidates on the "chemical structure - acidity-basicity relationship" topic. In this phenomenographic research, interviews were conducted with 30 prospective teachers enrolled in the Science Education Program, Education Faculty, Firat University in the spring semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. In the first stage of the two-stage interview, the participants were asked to rank some chemical compounds according to their increasing acidity strength, while in the second stage, they were asked to rank some chemical compounds according to their increasing basicity strength. In the interviews, participants were also asked to explain in detail the reasons for their ranking. From the answers given by the participants to the questions, six different answer patterns were obtained for acidity strength, while five different answer patterns were obtained for basicity strength. It was determined that all ten heuristics affect the reasoning of the participants, and because of the effects of heuristics, students generally use shortcut strategies instead of scientific reasoning. In addition, this study revealed that although it was not included in the model proposed by Talanquer, periodic trends heuristic also affected the reasoning of the participants on the "chemical structure - acidity/basicity relationship".

Determination of Science Teacher Candidates’ Approaches to the Concept of Chemistry with Metaphors

The role of science teachers in the formation of students’ approaches to chemistry subjects is very important. Metaphors can be used as a data collection tool to determine what meanings science teachers, who are preparing to step into the teaching profession, attribute to some concepts. It is important to know how chemistry is perceived by science teacher candidates and what meanings they attribute to this concept. With this in mind, the aim of the study is to determine the science teacher candidates’ approaches to the concept of chemistry through metaphors. Participants of the study are 104 teacher candidates attending the science teaching program of the mathematics and science education department of a medium-sized education faculty in Central Anatolia. A qualitative research method was used in the study, and “Phenomenology” was chosen as the design of the research. As the data collection tool, a form consisting of 1 question was used for the specified concept. The obtained data were analyzed with content analysis technique. The correctness of the determined metaphors and the created categories were checked by two expert faculty members, and the metaphors and categories were finalized. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the teacher candidates produced 47 metaphors for the concept of chemistry. It is seen that among the metaphors produced by science teacher candidates, the most used ones are life, water, and kitchen. The researcher states that the data collected through metaphors can be supported with different data collection tools, and more in-depth information can be reached.

How do Candidate Science Teachers Solve Environmental Problems?

The aim of this study is to determine the views of candidate science teachers about environmental problems and solutions to these problems. One of the qualitative research designs, phenomenology, was used in the research. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher. In the analysis of the research, a descriptive analysis technique was used. The study was carried out with 19 science teacher candidates. When definitions of the environment are examined, it is as “the environment in which living and non-living beings interact, the area where living things live, the artificial environment-natural environment.” Candidate teachers identified air pollution as the most important environmental problem. They stated that environmental problems occur due to production, consumption, both production and consumption and natural reasons. Candidate teachers discussed solution proposals of environmental problems individually, professionally, socially, and administratively. In individual solution proposals, it is recommended to use public transport, to encourage afforestation, to consume resources economically, to reduce the use of perfume-deodorants and fossil fuels, and to raise awareness with experiments, activities, visual and practical solutions under professional solution suggestions. When social solution suggestions are examined, it is stated that to raise awareness; it is necessary to produce visual and artistic activities, meetings, training, and projects, to be engaged in conscious agriculture in managerial solution offers, to use renewable energy sources, to recycle, to build industrial establishments outside of residential areas, to establish treatment facilities, and to install and inspect filters in factory chimneys.

The Effect of Nature Education Activities on Biophilia Levels of Science Teacher Candidates

As a result of increasing the level of interest in living and living systems (biophilia), it will be possible to educate more protectionist individuals against nature and the environment. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of nature education activities on biophilia levels of science teacher candidates. This research was conducted at public research university in Bayburt, Turkey, in the Department of Science Education during the spring semester of the 2017-2018 academic year. The activities were done in an integrated manner to the Environmental Science course. The study group included a total of 62 science teacher candidates. These students were distributed equally to the experiment and control group. The study was used a quasi-experimental method with a group of experiments and control. In the study, the Biophilia Scale was applied as a data collection tool. Independent samples t-tests and dependent samples t-tests were used for analyzing the data. As a result of the analysis, the findings indicated that nature education and in-class activities positively affected teacher candidates' biophilia levels. The findings also indicated that the knowledge and experience they gained due to students' scrutiny, touching, smelling, and even tasting the species at in-class and nature activities affected their biophilia levels.

Development of Earth and Space Knowledge Competencies for Science Teacher Candidates: Field-Project Based Learning Perspectives

This study aims to describe the competence of Earth and space knowledge of prospective science teacher students. Learning is carried out with the perspective of Field-Project Based Learning, students are asked to make direct observations of the components of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere in their living environment. Competencies from observations made by students include the ability to determine objects, knowledge of objects, and understanding of objects in their environment. The results of observations carried out are reported in the form of a written report supported by personal documentation in the form of photos of objects (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere), explanations of the selected objects based on reality connected with references that have been obtained. The results of the study indicate that the ability to determine objects, understanding and knowledge of students is excellent so that learning Earth and Space Sciences is in accordance with Field-Project Based Learning

Lateral Thinking Ability Analysis in Preparation of Science Teacher Candidate Papers and Reports

The preparation of papers and reports is also an alternative solution to the problem of low reading and writing skills among students. The improvement of reading and writing skills is integrated in the preparation of papers and reports through a lateral thinking style in finding problem-solving solutions. This study used a quantitative descriptive approach to describe the lateral thinking skills of second semester science teacher candidate students in the preparation of papers and reports conducted during twelve meetings. The study population involved a total of 36 students of the Department of Natural Science Education, Campus III FKIP Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, Jalan Ciwaru Raya, Serang, Banten. Some of the aspects contained in the assessment rubric are the systematics of papers and reports, the flow of thought and the casting of ideas. The number of students who managed to get the highest score at the meeting before UTS was 18 students, 6 students scored 88, 6 students scored 84 and 6 students scored 82. These results differ from the number of students who managed to get the highest score at the meeting after the UTS, namely 6 students, 6 students scored 86, 18 students scored 84 and 6 students scored 82. The existence of differences in results at the meeting before and after the implementation of the UTS is an indication that presenting learning activities that provide experiences to students involves the role of several aspects. Some of these aspects include the scope of the problem, the choice of learning methods and the learning experiences of previous students.

Development of Pisa 2015 Based Chemical Literacy Assessment Instrument For High School Students

Development of Pisa 2015 Based Chemical Literacy Assessment Instrument For High School Students

Do the critical thinking skills perform well? A Survey on Preservice Science Teachers

Critical thinking skills are a pivotal domain for students to have in today’s era. The learning process therefore must be able to train it. In order to train it by the learning process, its very important to be mapped. This study aims to investigate how level of students’ critical thinking skills of preservice science teachers. A survey method was conducted. The Cornel Critical Thinking Skill Test-Level X instruments used to measure the aspects of induction, deduction, observation and credibility, and assumption. The participants of this study were 106 science teacher candidates. The analysis was carried out by grouping students into five levels of critical thinking skills, namely level 1 (very low), level 2 (low), level 3 (sufficient), level 4 (high), and level 5 (very high). The results show that the generally are in the level 2 (low category). For the induction, deduction, observation and credibility aspects are in the level 2 (low category), while the assumption aspects are in the level 1 (very low category). This shows that critical thinking skills need to be trained in students. The learning process carried out must be able to facilitate students to have critical thinking skills.

Teacher Candidates’ Views on the Zero Waste Project

This case study was carried out to determine the opinions of prospective science teachers about zero waste project. The study group of the research consists of 67 prospective teachers studying in the science education department at one university in Konya, Turkey. When the research results are examined, it is seen that the awareness of the science teacher candidates about the purpose and scope of the zero waste project is not sufficient. Most of the teacher candidates experience a lack of information about the zero waste project. The teacher candidates, who stated that they did not participate in any scientific activity related to the zero waste project, do not believe that this project has achieved its purpose. The results of the research show that informing about the zero waste project is not enough, many teacher candidates will graduate without having sufficient awareness. As researchers, we think that information about the scope, purpose and implementation steps of the zero waste project should be included more in education curricula, TV programs and scientific activities.

Teachers Candidates’ Awareness of Sustainable Development

Today, it is known that rapidly developing industrialization and urbanization seriously threaten the future of humanity. This situation brings to mind the concept of ‘sustainable development’. The aim of this study is to determine the “Sustainable Development’ awareness of prospective teachers in different branches. Survay method was used in the study. The sample of the study consists of 175 pre-service teachers who study in five different branches of the Faculty of Education of a university located in the Eastern Anatolia region in the fall semester of 2018-2019 academic year. 35 students from each of the departments of Science Teaching, Primary School Teaching, Elementary Mathematics Teaching, Preschool Teaching and Social Sciences Teaching participated in the study. The data of the study were collected with a 5-point Likert scale type of 21 items. Prior to this study, the pilot study was conducted with 121 pre-service teachers from different branches of the sample and the cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient was found 0,81. From the parametric tests One way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to analyze the data obtained from the study. As a result of the study, it was determined that the highest mean score in terms of sustainable development awareness belongs to the prospective teachers studying in the Science Teaching Department and the lowest mean score belongs to the prospective teachers studying in the Mathematics Teaching Department. In the study, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the sustainable development awareness of Science, Classroom and Social Studies teacher candidates. Adding courses related to sustainable development to the pre-service teachers’ curriculum are among the suggestions of the study.

Describing Representation Ability of Prospective Science Teacher Based on Learning Style

The ability to represent a phenomenon in various forms either graphically, mathematically, in diagrams, etc. is the ability of multiple representations. This study aims to provide an overview of the multiple representation abilities of prospective science teacher based on their learning styles. The sample was 59 students of the 4th semester of Science Education Study Program, Universitas Negeri Makassar who took course of Fluid. The research instrument used were a learning style test and a representation ability test on dynamic fluid material in the form of multiple choices. The results of the learning style test showed that 21 are auditory learner, 11 are kinesthetic, and 27 are visual. Furthermore, the results of the representation ability test related to image representation, graphic representation, verbal representation and symbolic representation were analysed according to the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. The results of data analysis showed that the highest average value of graphic representation ability was owned by students with a visual learning style in the medium category. Furthermore, the highest value of the ability to represent images, symbols, and verbal was had by kinesthetic learner with each category, medium, high, and high. Based on these results it can be concluded that science teacher candidates with kinesthetic learning styles have better representation abilities than the other two learning styles.

How CCDA instrument analyzed science pre-service teachers’ prior knowledge?

Increasing the effectiveness of learning is done by exploring the initial understanding of science teacher candidates for the concept of cells to be studied. Exploring the prior knowledge of science teacher candidates about cell concepts can be done using the Cell Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment (CCDA) instrument.This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the CCDA instrument that has been developed. The research sample (n = 163) was student science teacher candidates coming from the Department of Chemistry Education, Physics Education, and Biology Education, Faculty Teaching Training and Education, Sriwijaya University, Indonesia. The topics tested include the structure and function of cells, cell membranes and molecular transport, cell reproduction, and cell communication. The results showed that all the items developed were valid, with a high level of reliability (0.86), very good discrimination index (0.44), and a balance was found between the number of questions classified as difficult and moderate. Although the research results show that this instrument has been valid and reliable, it still needs to be improved on the items so that they can be used in the future.

The Interrelation Among Course Mastery, Technology Integration Self Efficacy, and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) of Prospective Science Teachers

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is an important competency that must be had by prospective teachers to realize 21st-century learning. This study was aimed to analyze the relationship and the effect of course mastery and Technology Integration Self Efficacy (TISE) on TPACK of the prospective science teachers. This research was correlation research. By using regression analysis, the relationship between course mastery and TISE was analyzed on the TPACK of the science teacher candidates. Based on the analysis, it was known that the average of course mastery, TISE, and TPACK of prospective science teachers is good enough. Meanwhile, multiple regression tests were related to the relationship between course mastery and Technology Integration Self Efficacy (TISE) on TPACK of science teacher candidates simultaneously showed a strong correlation with the correlation coefficient (R) of 0.736 and R square of 0.542. It means there is an effect of course mastery and TISE on the TPACK of the prospective science teacher by 54.2%.

A phase overshadowed by mitotic division: interphase

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine misconceptions about interphase, a basic phase in the cell cycle and to address those misconceptions. Meristem cells in plants, stem cells in animals, spermatogonia and oogonia cells, and some cells with partial regeneration ability do not lose dividing ability. However, normal tissue cells other than these are in the G0 stage and do not divide after maturation. Therefore, a maturing cell is restricted again in the G0 phase of interphase and does not re-divide. For this reason, it is not valid to describe interphase as the preparation stage for division in general. This research is planned to emphasise this difference. This quasi-experimental descriptive study is conducted with science teacher candidates. The misunderstanding rate, which decreased after the course designed to resolve the misunderstanding, was not permanent and it was found that the participants remembered prior knowledge one year later. Misunderstanding can be an obstacle for data transfer considering that students whose misunderstandings are resolved are successful in data transfer.

İşbirlikli Hikaye ve Poster Uygulamalarının Fen Bilimleri Öğretmen Adaylarının Akademik Başarılarına Etkisi

Bu araştırmada işbirlikli hikaye ve işbirlikli poster uygulamalarının fen bilimleri öğretmen adaylarının mercekler konusuna yönelik akademik başarılarına etkisini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada öntest-sontest karşılaştırma gruplu yarı deneysel desen benimsenmiştir. Araştırma 2018-2019 akademik yılı güz döneminde Atatürk Üniversitesi’nde öğrenim gören 62 fen bilimleri öğretmen adayı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Öğretmen adaylarından 31’i işbirlikli hikaye uygulamasının yapıldığı Deney Grubu-1’e ve 31’i işbirlikli poster uygulamasının yapıldığı Deney Grubu-2’ye seçkisiz olarak atanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında akademik başarı testi ve değerlendirme rubrikleri kullanılmıştır. Verilerin normallik kriterlerini sağladığı tespit edildiğinden veri analizinde bağımlı örneklem t-testi, bağımsız örneklemler t-testi ve regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda işbirlikli hikaye ve işbirlikli poster uygulamalarının öğretmen adaylarının akademik başarılarını anlamlı düzeyde artırdığı belirlenmiştir. İşbirlikli hikaye ve işbirlikli poster uygulamaları gerçekleştirilen öğretmen adaylarının akademik başarıları arasında anlamlı bir farklılık olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Öğretmen adaylarının hikaye ve poster puanları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamaktadır. Hikaye ve poster çalışmalarının öğretmen adaylarının akademik başarılarının anlamlı bir açıklayıcısı olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

COVID-19 PANDEMİSİ SÜRECİNDE FEN BİLİMLERİ ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ ÖĞRETMENLİK UYGU

This study was carried out to determine the opinions of pre-service science teachers, practise science teachers and academicians about The Teaching Practice Course, which was interrupted due to the New type of Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The research was conducted with eight pre-service science teachers, eight instructors, and eight practise science teachers at Ä°brahim Cecen University of Agri Education Faculty in the 2019-2020 academic year. Qualitative phenomenology (phenomenology) model was used in the research. To obtain data for this research, semi-structured eight open-ended questions about the achievements that science teacher candidates need to acquire in the Teaching Practice course and the difficulties they experience in the process were directed to science teacher candidates who continue their education remotely, eight open-ended questions to practise teachers and semi-structured eight open-ended questions were directed to lecturers and then the answers were analyzed. According to the findings of the study, the lecturers emphasized that this epidemic affected all branches without discrimination and that they could not provide the students with the necessary support. Due to the insufficient resources and opportunities offered by the Higher Education Council to teacher candidates, they suggested that this lesson should be compensated in order to make the Teaching Practice lesson more efficient. The science teacher candidates stated that conducting the teaching practice course, which cannot be attended in formal, in this way would create a disadvantage for them in their professional life, that they found the homework and projects given for the teaching practice lesson productive, that they found the distance education was insufficient, and the lesson should be compensated. Most of the time, although they could not attend the distance education courses, they stated that mostly the lecturers at the university helped them to overcome the difficulties they experienced during this process. Similarly, the practise science teachers emphasized that the science teacher candidates who cannot take the teaching practice course in a formal way will be insufficient in their professional life, they will have difficulty in communicating with the students in their professional life and the lesson should be compensated.

Logical Thinking Abilities Scale: Reliability and Validity Studies

This study aims to develop logical thinking skills scale for science teacher candidates. The method of the study is the scale development model, which is the sub model of the exploratory pattern in the mixed method. The scale was prepared by referring to Lawson's Classroom Test of Science Reasoning (1978). In the study, the item pool was created first. The questions were prepared from the topics in the General Chemistry Laboratory Applications course from six sub-dimensions. Taking the expert opinion, necessary corrections were made and a trial form with 13 multiple choice and two open-ended questions were prepared. Multiple choice questions consist of two stages. In the first stage, it is requested to find the right option regarding the item (group A questions), and in the other stage, the reason for the answer (group B questions) is requested. The trial form was applied to 142 science teacher candidates. Multiple choice questions were analyzed with the Test Analysis Program (TAP). Open-ended items were rearranged receiving expert opinion in the light of the data obtained by scoring. At the end of the analysis, the 12th item was removed from the scale. As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the average difficulty and discrimination indices of the A and B group items were high. As a result of these findings, it can be said that the logical thinking abilities scale developed for prospective science teachers is appropriate in terms of reliability and validity.