The effect of blended learning on pre-service science teachers views about nature of science and scientific inquiry

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of blended learning based on social constructivism compared to face to face learning on pre-service science teachers? views about nature of science and scientific inquiry. This experimental study based on pre-test post-test control group design was carried out upon 80 3th grade pre-service science teachers in the Department of Science Education Program in Faculty of Education during 2010-2011 academic year.This study was carried out as part of ?Scientific Research Methods? and ?Science Teaching Laboratory Applications-I? courses during 14-weeks. While these courses were designed according to blended learning based on social constructivism for the experimental group, this courses were designed according to face to face learning environment supported with inquiry project applications for the control group. Blended learning model was integrated by considering the power sides of face to face and online learning environment and then this was supported with web-based inquiry project applications. So, a process of dynamic learning and teaching was created.Views of The Nature of Science (VNOS) and Views of Scientific Inquiry (VOSI) questionnaires as data collection tools were used to define the effect of blended learning on PSTS? views on nature of science and scientific inquiry. The individual interviews were made with all PSTs from both experimental and control groups prior and after the study in order to clarify their understandings about nature of science and scientific inquiry. In addition, the final interviews were conducted with PSTs in order to define the change and the reason of the changes that occurred in their understandings about nature of science and scientific inquiry. Interview questions were prepared in parallel with questionnaires. In data analysis, qualitative and quantitative approaches are used together. Qualitative data is transformed into quantitative data approach used in previous studies (Kaya, 2009; Vazquez-Alonso and Manassero-Mas, 1999). So, the data obtained from both questionnaire and interviews was analyzed in a holistic way.MANCOVA (Multiple Analysis of Covariance) was used to evaluate the data obtained from the result of this study in order to investigate the effect of blended learning compared to face to face learning on PSTs? views on nature of science and scientific inquiry. Chi-square (Crosstabs) test was also employed in order to in-depth analysis of the probable variation between the answers PSTs gave to each question of VNOS and VOSI.The statistical analyses of the experimental data revealed that the experimental groups were statistically better than the control groups as regards to understanding of the concepts related to both the nature of science and scientific inquiry (p<0.001). Chi-square analyses indicated that while the questions there were no statistically significance differences between both groups in VNOS and VOSI pre-tests except for VNOS-1. and 5. questions. However, the VNOS and VOSI post test results showed that there were statistically significant changes in favor of the experimental groups except for VNOS-3., 5. 7. and VOSI-2 and 3(b) questions. The post interviews showed that there were significant increases in favor of pre-service science teachers in the experimental groups. The pre-service science teachers of the experimental groups also stated that blended learning environment resulted in much more meaningful and permanent learning process and increases the student-teacher and student-student interactions in the interviews.