Enhancing the quality of future teaching practise by increasing scientific attitudes and reducing misconceptions of pre-service elementary school teachers through conceptual change model

Abstract

Abstract This study was aimed at increasing scientific attitudes and reducing misconceptions of 39 pre-service elementary school teachers (PSESTs) at PGRI University of Yogyakarta by implementing the conceptual change model (CCM). Scientific attitudes scales (SAS) and misconception tests (MT) were administered to PSESTs. Observations and documentations were conducted to record the implementation of CCM as well as PSESTs’ attitudes and behaviour. Data analysis techniques were the descriptive statistic as a quantitative analysis and descriptive qualitative as a qualitative analysis. The average scores of scientific attitudes increased from 72.8 in the initial condition to 77.1 in Cycle I, whilst the average scores of scientific attitudes increased from 77.1 in Cycle I to 81.4 in Cycle II. The overall misconception incidences reduced from 49.8% to 5.6%. The research results clearly showed that CCM increased scientific attitudes and reduced misconceptions of PSESTs’. The two objectives, the increase of scientific attitudes and reduction of misconceptions, are attempts to enhance the quality of pre-service teachers’ upcoming teaching practise. Consequently, CCM is one of the choices that can be chosen by lecturers to fulfil both objectives.