Science teaching orientations of prospective science teachers

This study aimed to investigate the Preservice Science and Technology Teachers? science teaching orientations related to science teaching in the context of teaching program, students? learning, teaching methods, and assessment and evaluation; and the teacher candidates? knowledge and beliefs (learning-teaching concepts or teaching tendencies) which may affect their behaviors and educational decisions in the learning-teaching environments.In this study which was conducted during the period between September 2007 and May 2008 terms, quantitative and qualitative methods were used in conjunction. In the quantitative part of the study, LACO Scale (Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Curricula Orientation Scale) developed for the purposes of examining prospective teachers? learning-teaching concepts in the context of traditional and constructivist approaches; validity-reliability of which was established; comprising of 42 items was administered to 159 students (38 freshmen, 44 sophomore, 42 junior and 35 senior students) randomly selected from every class of Gazi University, Gazi Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Education Science Teaching. According to data has been obtained and analyzed with MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Varians), preservice teachers came closer to constructivist learning teaching concepts as their class level increased. The same scale was administered to 33 out of the 35 senior students following their practice teaching. In analyzing the data obtained from the scale using repeated MANOVA, it was concluded that the preservice teachers came closer to constructivist learning teaching concepts as their class level increased, and that practice teaching brought their learning teaching concepts closer to constructivism.For the purposes of conducting an in-depth investigation of the content and structure of the prospective teachers? science teaching orientations, it was decided to continue the qualitative part of the study with four students selected from among the participant students. Interviews were conducted and recorded with these teacher candidates using semi-structured interview questions; they were observed and video recorded while teaching a lesson; their lesson preparations and the lesson materials they used were examined within the scope of document analysis. The statements of the teacher candidates in the interviews were analyzed using TPPI (Teacher Pedagogical Philosophy Inventory, Richardson and Simmons, 1994); the video recordings of their lesson practices were analyzed using STAM (Science Teacher Analysis Matrix, Gallagher and Parker, 1995); the results were compared and interpreted. The lesson plans and other materials used by the teacher candidates whilst preparing for the lesson were analyzed for the purposes of supporting the interview and practice analyses.In conclusion, the teacher candidates have come even closer to the concepts related to the constructivist approach during the course of their graduate education and are progressing on the path to gaining a perspective within the framework of this understanding. Practice teaching (trainee teaching) which is one the most important stages of the teacher training program has some, even if limited, effect on these concepts.On comparing the teacher candidates? interview findings and findings, it was concluded that they were not completely within the framework of the constructivist approach but that they had also moved away from the traditional learning teaching approach. Due to the fact that this change exhibited a sustained progress during the application process, it is thought that were the practical applications to continue, under the guidance of a good practical application teacher, the teacher candidates would have gone even further in the way of becoming constructivist educators at training and education standards.Key Words: Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teacher Training, Science Teaching Orientation, Teaching-Learning Concepts, Constructivist Teacher, Traditional Teacher