Effect of educational robotics applications on problem solving skills of science teacher candidates

This study was prepared to create a convenient Lego learning environment for pre-service Science teachers and to explore the effects of problem-solving skills of the teachers in this environment. This study was applied according to Mixed-Methods Research was carried out six weeks during with a total of 15 pre-service Science teachers including 12 3rd class and 3 2nd class who were studying in 2015-2016 academic year spring semester in Karadeniz Technical University, Fatih Faculty of Education. Qualitative data in the study were collected field notes prepared by the researcher, semi-structured interviews conducted with science teacher candidates and video recording. As for quantitative data was collected by the problem-solving skills. Research was carried out as a form of robotic training which was including the build, design and programming stages with Lego Mindstorms EV3 Home Edition Set on 3 different groups which each of them consist of 5 persons. In the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data was used, respectively, NVivo 9 and SPSS 15 statistical software package programme. Qualitative data of the study were analizyed with descriptive analysis. Quantitative data of the study was obtained by using paired samples t-test. At the end of the study; it was concluded that there is a positive differentiation between teacher candidate's existing problem-solving skills and the latter problem-solving skills after 6-week period but there was no statistically significant in this differentiation. On the other hand, it was observed that science teacher candidates used '' The discovery skills' , 'Observation Skills',' practical skills' and 'social skills' stages in problem-solving skills within the Lego learning environment.