Using Case-Based Science Scenarios to Analyze Preservice Teachers’ Analytical Thinking Skills

Abstract

Any science teacher must first acquire analytical thinking skills in order to give their students the ability to think analytically. Therefore, the candidacy period is important for teachers to develop this skill and translate it into professional knowledge. Based on this idea, the current research aims to determine the ability of preservice science teachers to use analytical thinking skills. An analytical thinking test is used in the research carried out survey method. This test consists of 20 case-based science scenarios in total from four different learning fields. These scenarios are designed according to the analytical thinking skill dimensions of Marzano’s Taxonomy (analyzing errors, classifying, comparing, specifying, generalizing). Preservice science teachers (N=158) from two public universities have participated in the study. It is determined that the majority of preservice science teachers weakly use their analytical thinking skills. It is revealed that preservice science teachers have difficulties respectively in classification - specification - error analysis - generalization – comparison according to Marzano's taxonomy from most to least while solving scenarios. It can be suggested that the science educators develop the designs to improve the analytical thinking skills of the candidates in the courses they conduct on the basis of the results of the research.