Enhancing pre-service science teachers' understanding of serendipitous science through argumentation technique

The approach to science and the nature of science improves through innovations day by day due to the necessities of the era and scientific improvements, and are evaluated from different perspectives. Serendipities occuring in the process of finding out and improving scientific knowledge may also be investigated in this context. The aim of the study is to specify the effect of teaching the concept of 'serendipity', which has a significant place in scientific activities, through argumentation-based implementations by associating it with science, on the understandings of the Science teacher candidates concerning serendipitous science. The study in which a qualitative method was used, was carried out according to case study method. The sampling of the study includes 44 participants who were 3rd grade students taking education in the department of Science Teaching at a state university in the spring term of 2017-2018 academic year. The qualitative data of the study was collected by a questionnaire of Serendipitous Science comprising of open-ended questions, semi structures interviews and document analysis. The documents gathered during the argumentation-based training were evaluated through descriptive analysis. The data of Serendipitous Science Questionnaire containing open-ended questions were analysed by content analysis by categorising students' responses and aiming to detect students' understandings of serendipitous science. The data from semi-structured interviews carried out at the end of training were used with the purpose of supporting the data by direct quotations. According to the qualitative findings obtained from the study, training carried out with the teacher candidates may be stated to influence their understandings of serendipitous science in a positive way, improve their knowledge and attitudes of serendipitous science by making them realize the role of serendipity and enable them consider the scientific process from a broader perspective. When serendipities are considered to be a part of the process of exploring scientific knowledge, it has been suggested that research settings which will create opportunities for serendipitius encounters and lead to question the information and bring a product forward, may be designed for science education.