Investigating pre-service science teachers’ laboratory approach choices

Abstract

The main focus of the current study was to determine what kind of laboratory approaches will be designed how this process will be evaluated by pre-service teachers. The study was carried out on the basis of a qualitative paradigm. The study group of the research consisted of 40 pre-service science teachers. In the current study, the application was conducted within the Laboratory Applications in Science I-II courses at two stages. The per stage was conducted in 14 weeks (four hours per weeks). The first stage of the process (14 weeks) started with a theoretical presentation introducing laboratory approaches and was conducted with the guidance of five experiment manuals designed on the basis of different laboratory approaches ranging from a confirmatory laboratory approach to an inquiry-based learning by the researcher. In the second stage, the pre-service teachers were asked to examine the units and objectives of the Science Curriculum Program and then were asked to select a laboratory approach and set the objectives to design an activity manual. The pre-service teachers worked for five weeks to determine the objectives, find the appropriate approach and design an experiment manual in line with the selected approach. Then, each group conducted the laboratory class under the guidance of their experiment manual that they had developed for each week. The data of the study was collected within two periods through the difficulties experienced, skills attained through the process, reflective texts presenting course-related suggestions and semi-structured interviews. It was determined that the students experienced some difficulties in the selection of the laboratory approach for the given topic and the design of experiment manuals; they preferred inquiry-based learning laboratory activities as they were believed to be more effective and administration of experiment manuals to peers were believed to be conducive to professional development.