The effect of activities based upon constructivism on preschool teacher candidates' attitudes and achievements

In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effects of activities based upon constructivism on preschool teacher candidates' attitudes in teaching science and on the success of scientific concepts. 74 teacher candidates studying Preschool Teaching at the Department of Primary Education Faculty of Education Kastamonu University during 2013-2014 academic year constituted the study group in this study. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed in the study. In order to obtain the data, the Scale of Attitude towards Science Teaching (SATST) was employed for the detection of preschool teacher candidates' attitudes towards teaching science, along with Achievement Test on Scientific Concepts (ATSC) to specify their levels of knowledge on scientific concepts, and also a Semi-Structured Interview Form was used in order to reveal their interests in science teaching. The quantitative data obtained in the study were classified using SPSS 15 package program and the qualitative data were categorized by employing qualitative research model. It was found as a consequence of the study that teacher candidates' attitudes towards science teaching were positive and that as a result of the activities to eliminate their lack of interest, a meaningful difference was found in favor of the Achievement Post-Test on Scientific Concepts; moreover, the data obtained from the semi-structured interview supported these results. A meaningful difference was also revealed among the results of Achievement Post-Test on Scientific Concepts of teacher candidates' results with various levels of attitudes, and this difference existed in all groups (low-medium-high). According to the results of the Semi-Structured Interviews, it was concluded that the activities eliminated or reduced the indifference and negative attitudes of teacher candidates towards science teaching, increased their knowledge on scientific concepts and eliminated the existing faulty knowledge, as well.