The effect of problem based learning on pre-service teachers' physics course achievement, learning approaches and science process skills

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of Problem-Based Learning on candidate-teachers' success in physics lessson, their learning approaches as well as scientific process skills, and to determine the views of the participants on Problem Based Learning. In this study, unequalized pre-post testing control group model was applied and survey model was utilized in order to determine the study group's views on PBL method. The participants of this survey are 42 teacher candidates- 2nd grade students at Primary Mathematics Education of Dokuz Eylul University Buca Faculty of Education in the spring term of 2010-2011 academic year. The selected class was randomly separated into two equal group, one being experimental (21) and the other being control group (21), taking their 2010-2011 fall physics lesson passing grades and students' learning approaches into account. The experimental group was homogeneously formed as three PBL groups with seven members each according to their grades in physics lesson and learning approach. In the experimental group, lessons were studied through PBL method, whereas conventional learning method was followed in the control group. In this study qualitative data were collected via "Electricity Units Achievement Test" , "Conventional Physics Lesson Examinations", "Scaled Grading Keys" "Learning Approach Scale" "Scientific Process Skills Tests" and quantitative data were collected through "Semi-structured Interview Forms". During the research, real life scenarios related to electricity units and worksheets were prepared in order for the PBL method to be implemented. Following the research, it was concluded that the success attained in physics lesson by experimental group students exceeded meaningfully that of control group students'. No meaningful difference was observed between the two groups of students regarding their scientific process skills though. When the participants were evaluated according to their Electricity Units Achievement Test final grading scores that were analyzed with regard to their learning approaches, students learning in deep and strategic showed rather more success than the ones learning surface. Besides, no meaningful difference in success was observed between the students in the experimental group learning in deep and strategic. However, students in control group learning in deep were observed to attain higher level of success than those learning strategical. An analysis between the groups showed that PBL is more effective than conventional methods in increasing the success of students with different learning approaches towards physics lesson. When the relationship between students' scores in Electricity Units Achievement Test and those received in the sub-dimensions of Learning Approach Scale was anayzed, it was observed that the success of experimental and control group students in physics lesson increased as their scores of in-deep learning increased, yet it decreased as their score for surface learning increased. Apart from this, it was determined that PBL method has an effect on the students' scores attained from sub-dimensions of Learning Approach Scale, and that the scale increased greatly when compared to the pre-study grades attained in in-deep learning sub-dimension in the experimental group, yet it meaningfully decreased in the control group. Through an analysis between the groups, the scores, attained from in-deep learning sub-dimension scale by students in experimental group, were found to be rather higher than in-deep learning scores attained by control group students. When quantitative data were analyzed, PBL was found to be a highly suitable method for physics lesson, and when it was compared with the conventional method, it was also noted that it provided a longer-lasting information along with links to previous learning. In addition, it was determined that this method provided learning without memorization, increased motivation, improved the skills for research and commenting, thus hindering detraction in lessons. With this research, it was also found that teacher candidates define themselves as individuals taking active roles during the process, taking the responsibility of learning, as someone who carries out researches, and as one with a chance to state his or her views. It was also noted that they found the process of evaluation to be effective, the group work to be beneficial and the number and duration of sessions to be sufficient. It was found that as the moderator is passive during learning process in PBL, lessons became more conversation-like , which increased sharing of knowledge in the group and as it is not directly delivered by the teacher it becomes more long-lasting. On the other hand, students stated that the mandatory participation in the sessions, insufficient information in the first session were the underlying factors for their lessening of self-confidence, and the longer duration required by PBL when compared with conventional methods and the more active participation by dominant students as well as the tasks undertaken by teachers getting more difficult were all counted as negative aspects of PBL.