Determining pre-service science teachers’ perceptions of science, nature of science, and the relationship between them

Abstract

Besides being a necessity for science education, understanding the nature of science and the concept of science also facilitates individuals’ daily lives and affects their decisions as conscious citizens. This study aims to determine the pre-service science teachers' perceptions of science and their views on the nature of science and the relationship between them. The study was carried out with prospective science teachers from different undergraduate levels. Perception of Science Questionnaire and Views on Nature of Science Questionnaire were used as data collection tools. The views on the nature of science were coded as unacceptable, partially acceptable and acceptable and statistical analyses were carried out accordingly. Pre-service science teachers’ views on the nature of science were found to be unacceptable and partially acceptable. Nature of science views generally showed a positive tendency throughout the undergraduate education. The metaphors obtained from the concept of science were analyzed by content analysis. The metaphors obtained were categorized as dynamic, guiding, cumulative, requirement andinfinite. According to the results, the perceptions of pre-service science teachers were positive, but also showed some deficiencies and misconceptions. Finally, pre-service science teachers’ choice of metaphors, although not statistically significant, differed according to their grade level. No statistically significant relationship was found between pre-service science teachers' views on nature of science and their perceptions of science.