The Effects of Technology-based Applications on Pre-service Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions of Science and Scientists

Abstract

This research is to examine the effect of science teaching, supported by technologically based applications, on the perception of science and scientists of preservice primary school teachers. The research was carried out with 28 students enrolled in the "Science and Technology Laboratory I" course in Mersin University Faculty of Education Classroom Teaching Department undergraduate program in the fall semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. In the application process, the subjects related to science, the nature of science and scientists were processed using materials prepared with Web 2.0 tools. In the research, “Draw a Scientist Test" (DAST), developed by Chambers (1953) data collection tool, and the interview form of eight open-ended questions developed by the researchers were used. The analysis of the drawings was also carried out using quantitative research technique within the scoring according to coding Ruiz-Mallen Escales Checklist "RME-C “index developed by Ruiz-Mallen and Escales (2012). Content analysis and description analysis method were used in the analysis of interview questions. In the analysis of RME-C coding for the similarities of the preliminary and final test drawings in practice, chi-square test was applied. In practice, differences in perception of science and scientists were seen in the drawings of the candidates. As a result, it has been observed that the candidates of classroom teachers traditional of science and science in the perception express contemporary opinion about. In addition, according to the RME-C coding ruler, which is scored by considering the, and the traditional opinion of the class teacher candidates for research discipline is stated only in the perception of scientists, while other all coding indicates the opinion of contemporary scientist the perception. In particular, important perception was seen that the perception of Turkish female scientists in the gender of scientists prominent after the application in preservice primary school teachers