Reflections of prospective science teachers on science practi̇ces at home based on open ended inquiry

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of science practices at home on preservice science teachers' critical thinking dispositions, science learning skills, scientific inquiry skills and learning styles within the scope of open-ended inquiry-based science laboratory practices, and to investigate the reflections of preservice science teachers on science practices at home based on open ended inquiry. The research was carried out at Akdeniz University in the spring term of the 2019-2020 academic years. A group of 79 third grade preservice science teachers constituded the sample of the study. Convergent parallel research design was used in the study. The implementation continued for 10 weeks. In the quantitative parts of the study one group pre-test post-test experimental design was used.Quantitative data in the study were supported by qualitative data. "Critical Thinking Disposition Scale" adapted to Turkish by Kılıç and Şen (2014), "Science Learning Skill Scale" adapted to Turkish by Şenler (2014), " Views about Scientific Inquiry Questionnaire" adapted to Turkish by Karışan, Bilican and Şenler (2017), "Kolb Learning Style Inventory" adapted to Turkish by Gencel (2007) and preservice teachers reflection papers regarding implimentation were used as data collection tools of the study. Quantitative results of the study revealed that a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test results of the preservice science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and science learning skills science practices at home within the scope of open-ended inquiry-based science laboratory practices. Within the scope of open-ended inquiry-based science laboratory applications, it was also found that at the end of the term there was an increase in the informed views of all sub-dimensions of preservice science teachers' scientific inquiry skills. It was also concluded that preservice science teachers have learning styles of accommodation, assimilation, converging and diverging and that there were some changes in the learning styles of preservice science teacher at the end of the semester. The qualitative results of the study were examined within the framework of the themes of skills, learning environment, application process and affective changes. Pre-service science teachers reflected that their scientific process skills, creative thinking skills, critical thinking skills, research skills, inquiry skills, and problem solving skills improved in this process.