Preservice science teachers’ belief systems about teaching a socioscientific ıssue

Ahmet Kılınç; Ozlem Afacan; Dilber Polat; Pınar Demirci Güler; Kasım Yıldıtım; Ümit Demiral; Baris Eroğlu; Tezcan Kartal; Arzu Sönmez; Busra Iserı; Ozkan Görgülü

doi:10.36681/

Authors

Ahmet Kılınç Abant Izzet Baysal University, Faculty of Education, Bolu-TURKEY
Ozlem Afacan Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY
Dilber Polat Ahi Evran Üniversity, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY
Pınar Demirci Güler Ahi Evran Üniversity, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY
Kasım Yıldıtım Muğla Sıtkı Kocaman University, Faculty of Education, Muğla-TURKEY
Ümit Demiral Ahi Evram University, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY
Baris Eroğlu Aksaray University, FAculty of Education, Aksaray-TURKEY
Tezcan Kartal Ahi Evran Üniversity, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY
Arzu Sönmez Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu-TURKEY
Busra Iserı Gazi University, Ankara-TURKEY
Ozkan Görgülü Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Education, Kırşehir-TURKEY

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36681/

Keywords:

Belief System, Teaching Socioscientific Issues, Preservice Science Teachers, Turkey

Abstract

We investigated the belief system of Turkish preservice science teachers (PSTs) about teaching a socioscientific issue (GM Foods) using a belief system model. This model includes three belief pools: content beliefs (CBs), core pedagogical beliefs (CPBs) and pedagogy of content beliefs (PCBs). Based on this model, we developed a questionnaire in order to see interrelationships among three belief pools about teaching GM Foods. For content beliefs, we selected content knowledge, risk perceptions, moral beliefs and religious beliefs. For pedagogy of content beliefs, we selected teaching efficacy, preferred teaching methods and preferred teacher’s roles. We administered the questionnaire to 423 PSTs. Using correlation analysis, multinomical logistic regression and structural equation modelling we tried to understand the relationships between CBs and PCBs and to make interpertations about possible CPBs working as a filter between CBs and PCBs. The results show that PSTs are relatively knowledgeable, hold high risk perceptions and certain moral and religious beliefs about GM Foods. They possess high teaching efficacy beliefs, choose the teaching role of Neutral Impartiality and prefer large class discussion and computerassisted teaching. As core pedagogical beliefs (CPBs), they may have traditional epistemologies, moral and religiously-based teaching goals.

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