Pre-service science teachers 'views about the issue of the relationship between science and religion and, multiple ways of knowing in science classes

The aim of this study is to examine the views of science teachers about the issue of the relationship between science and religion and, multiple ways of knowing in science classes. The issue of the relationship between science and religion is not limited to those who are engaged in science, philosophy and religion but is also concerned by the community in general. Although many thinkers put forward important opinions on this issue, Ian Grame Barbour is the first who come to mind with the model which he developed for the relationship between science and religion. In this study, Barbour's quaternary typology was used to examine the pre-service science teachers' views about the relationship between science and religion. The qualitative approach with phenomenological design was preferred in the research. The study group consisted of 25 science teachers who were studying at a state university and three different data collection tools were used. The data collected within the scope of the research were evaluated with content analysis, descriptive analysis and continuous comparative analysis techniques. It was determined that the majority of the pre-service science teachers percieve the relationship between religion and science in the perspective of harmony with the tendency of giving priority to religion. In addition, it was determined that the majority of pre-service science teachers asserted that multiple ways of knowing should be discussed in science classes in the context of socio-scientific issues. Based on the results, selective courses for preservice science teachers and inservice training for science teachers were recommended in order to qualify their worldviews. Key Words: Relation between religion and science, multiple forms of knowledge, science teacher candidates, socio-scientific issues