Investigation of pre-school teachers' mental models for the internal organs of the human body

This research was conducted to examine the mental models of pre-school teacher candidates for the internal organs of the human body. In this context, the study group of the research consists of 141 teacher candidates from 1-2-3 and 4th grade students studying at Kastamonu University Education Faculty Preschool Teaching Department in the 2021-2022 academic year. Convenience sampling method was preferred in the selection of the study group. Within the scope of the research, an 8-week implementation process was carried out. Two data collection tools, "Interview Form" and "Drawing Form" were used. Due to the use of qualitative and quantitative analyzes, mixed method was carried out in the research. While interpretive content analysis was used in the analysis of the qualitative data of the research, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was conducted in the analysis of the quantitative data. As a result of the data, it was seen that the majority of pre-school teacher candidates had sufficient mental models for the internal organs in the human body, and some pre-service teachers had misconceptions about the shapes, positions and functions of the internal organs in the human body. While the mental models of the teacher candidates did not show a significant difference according to the gender variable, it was determined that there was a difference according to the grade levels.