Mental models of pre-service science teachers about theır science teaching

Abstract

The screening method was used in this study, which was conducted in order to determine the mental models of pre-service science teachers for science teaching and to examine the mental models according to gender, grade level, parents' education status, general academic achievement scores and the variables of high school they graduated. The sample of the study consists of 200 pre-service science teachers studying in the Science Education Department of the Faculty of Education of a state university in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. The “Draw-a-science-teacher-test-checklist” (DASTT-C)" and individual information form developed by Thomas, Pederson and Finson (2001) were used as data collection tools in the study. At the end of the research, it was determined that 39% of the pre-service science teachers have a conceptual model, 34.5% have a researcher and 26.5% have an explanatory mental model. While no significant difference was found between the mental models of pre-service science teachers according to gender, a significant difference was found between mental models according to grade level. As the grade level progresses, it is observed that the mental models of the pre-service science teachers change from the explanatory model to the investigative model. While there was no significant difference between the mental models of the pre-service science teachers according to their parents' education levels and the type of high school they graduated from, it was found that there was a low, negative and significant relationship between their general academic achievement scores and their mental models.