A Qualitative Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding of the Concept of Light
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Abstract
In science education and concept teaching, the ways individuals perceive concepts and the processes of establishing relationships between concepts are of great importance for meaningful learning. Conceptual deficiencies in both students and pre-service teachers can lead to problems in teaching processes and students’ learning. Therefore, it is important to determine the current knowledge levels of pre-service teachers regarding the concept of light, which is one of the fundamental concepts of science. The aim of this research is to qualitatively investigate the conceptual understanding of second-year science education students regarding the concept of light. The case study method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. The study group consisted of 45 pre-service teachers studying in the 2nd grade of the Science Education Program at a state university. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method in terms of accessibility and practicality. As a data collection tool, three open-ended questions were used to determine the knowledge levels of the pre-service teachers regarding the concept of light. As a result of the research, it was determined that pre-service teachers had difficulty explaining the dual nature of light and mostly focused on the physical properties of light. It was found that pre-service teachers struggled to use scientific knowledge when explaining the concept of light and preferred to use affective expressions frequently used in their daily lives when providing explanations.
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Light, Concept, Conceptual Understanding, Pre-Service Science Teachers
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