The effects of socioscientific issues based learning and science writing heuristic approaches on science pre-service teachers' understanding of the nature of science

In recent years, raising scientifically literate individuals is one of the highly emphasized issues particularly in the context of science education. Various frameworks related to scientific literacy have been established by a number of researchers. In this sense, the nature of science has become a component which is included in these frameworks. Thus, individuals' acceptable perspectives towards the nature of science are essential in order to reach the level of scientific literacy. However, an analysis of the related field revealed that there is a presence of misconceptions regarding the nature of science. At this juncture, studies that will enable individuals to acquire an acceptable perspective towards the nature of science have gained importance. The present study, which was conducted in light of this information, is expected to contribute to national and international literature. In this context, the purpose of the study is to examine the impact of two different instruction models designed as an argumentation-based science learning and socio-scientific issue based learning on prospective science teachers' perspectives regarding the nature of science. The study group of the study consisted of 3rd-grade prospective teachers who study in a science teaching department of a public university. The study was designed according to the "embedded mix method", and carried out with the participation of 82 prospective science pre-service teachers who take the courses 'nature of science; and 'history of science'. In this context, the study was carried out with three different groups based on; socio-scientific issue (Experiment 1), argumentation-based science learning approach (Experiment 2), and existing implementation (Experiment 3). After identifying the control and experiment groups of the study, weekly activities were prepared for the three groups. For the group 'Experiment 1', an instruction based on socio-scientific issue was provided by the researchers through eight different scenario. In the group 'Experiment 2', the topics, solutions and cell, were chosen for weekly activities which were expected to enable individuals to investigate and question. Finally, in the control group of the study, an instruction was provided with an approach expressed as the traditional method; where the teacher is in the position of the narrative and conveys the information directly, and students are in the position of listeners who can express their opinions from time to time. In order to ensure data variety in the study seven different data collection tools were employed. These data collection tools consisted of; views of nature of science qustionnaire –C (VNOS-C), student diaries, field notes, standardized open-ended interview-1 (SOEI-1), standardized open-ended interview-2 (SOEI-2), rubrics and socio-scientific scenario. The qualitative data obtained in the scope of the research study were analyzed through the content analysis method, and the data collected from the (VNOS-C) were preferred to be digitized. The qualitative and quantitative findings of the study revealed that prospective teachers' involvement in argumentation-based science learning and socio-scientific issue based instruction process have contributed to their perspectives towards the nature of science. Based on the findings and the results of the study, argumentation-based science learning and socio-scientific issue based instruction process were considered as effective methods in terms of improving individuals perspectives towards the nature of science. Lastly, suggestions for researchers who will conduct studies on the nature of science informants and the nature of science were provided based on the finding and results of the present study.