The effect of teaching practices performed by using systematic training and lecture methods on teacher candidates epistemological belief, learning approaches, metacognitive awareness and academic achievement

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of teaching practices performed by using systematic training and lecture methods on teacher candidates? epistemological belief, learning approaches, metacognitive awareness and academic achievement. The research is an experimental study and is carried out by using quantitative data. The experimental model of research is a pretest-posttest one with synchronized control group. The study group of the research consists of 102 teacher candidates who study at Adıyaman University, Faculty of Education in 2012-2013 academic years. The research data was obtained by using Epistemological Belief Scale developed by Schommer (1990) and translated into Turkish by Deryakulu and Büyüköztürk (2002) with the analysis of its validity and reliability, the Learning Approaches Questionnaire developed by the researcher, Metacognitive Awareness Scale, and the academic achievement test of Teaching Principles and Methods Course. Personal Information Form, Epistemological Belief Scale, the Learning Approaches Questionnaire, Metacognitive Awareness Scale, and the academic achievement test of Teaching Principles and Methods Course have been prepared by the researcher to ensure the pre-experimental process equivalence of experimental (n = 51) and control (n = 51) groups. According to the statistical analysis, there are no significant differences between the experimental and control groups? pretest scores and both groups are determined as the same in term of the variables included in "Personal Information Form". After this stage, the systematic training model, which is the experimental variable, and programs, which are prepared on the basis of lecture methods, have been applied to experimental and control groups at Teaching Principles and Methods Course for three hours per week for total of four weeks. The data obtained at the research has been analyzed by using calculations of descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation), t-test of the dependent and the independent samples, eta-square and Cohen d. According to research results, there are significant differences between the posttest scores of epistemological beliefs, learning approach, metacognitive awareness and academic achievements of the experimental group to whom systematic training method is applied and the control group to whom lecture method is applied, ?learning depends on ability and? "there is only one truth? views of teacher candidates in the experimental group are less developed than those in the control group, prefer deep learning approach more than the control group in terms of learning approach, the awareness levels of experimental group are more developed than control group, the academic achievements of experimental group are higher than control group?s in terms of academic achievement. There are several suggestions in parallel with the results that gained from the research. Key Words: Teacher candidates, systematic training, epistemology, epistemological belief, metacognition, metacognitive awareness, learning approach, teaching principles and methods, academic achievement.