AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightIn the study, it was found out that biology teachers working at secondary schools did not have adequate knowledge and skills, they did not do implementations, did not use information technologies and they did not develop themselves professionally.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Problem Statement: Several studies have been carried out to determine the problems and their reasons in biology education in our country. When these studies are examined, it is seen that the problems were discussed from the perspective of biology teachers and students. The current study was undertaken as no study so far aimed at determining the problems experienced in biology education in higher education and at making solution offers. It is considered that this study will contribute to the literature by revealing the problems experienced at undergraduate level in addition to the ones experienced in secondary education and by making solution offers. Purpose of the Study: This study aims to determine the problems experienced in biology education in Turkey and to make solution offers. Method(s): The case study survey was chosen as research design of the study. The participants in this study are composed of 14 faculty members giving biology based courses at the department of Biology Education and Science Education. A form composed of open-ended questions was developed to determine the views of faculty members about the problems experienced in biology education. Online version of the form was developed using google forms service. Data obtained was submitted to content analysis method. Data from content analysis were organized according to the themes based on the responds of faculty members and codes were created under these themes. Besides, direct quotations from the faculty members’ responds in the form were made. Findings and Discussions: The results of the study were summarized as problems at undergraduate level and secondary education level, and solution offers. As a result of the study, it was revealed that faculty members had problems in finding participants and in the process of finding support and receives permission when conducting research. The fact that only 14 faculty members filled in the form used in this study proves the existence of problem in finding participants. Another problem at undergraduate level is the low number of biology education experts. Besides, it was determined that the lack of cooperation between biology experts and biology education experts, superiorsubordinate relationships, inadequate number of research assistants/ crafts also created problems. Faculty members offered achieving cooperation between biology experts and biology education experts, a fairer staff distribution and employment of research assistant/craft in the department. Other problems experienced in secondary education can be listed as follows: classrooms are crowded, laboratories and course resources and materials are inadequate, students’ negative attitudes towards the course, the intense content of the subject and Latin terms in it. These problems are similar to the ones determined by other studies carried out with biology teachers and students. Conclusions and Recommendations: It was revealed that faculty members had problems in finding participants and in the process of finding support and receives permission when conducting research. The following solution offers for these problems are made: increasing the quality of publications in the field, rejecting of replication studies by editors, giving researchers freedom to choose between studies focusing purely on biology and those on biology education, increasing research funds and publishing in fields of expertise. Another problem at undergraduate level is the low number of biology education experts. Faculty members offered achieving cooperation between biology experts and biology education experts, a fairer staff distribution and employment of research assistant/craft in the department. In the study, it was found out that biology teachers working at secondary schools did not have adequate knowledge and skills, they did not do implementations, did not use information technologies and they did not develop themselves professionally.
Özet
Bu araştırmada Türkiye’de biyoloji öğretiminde yaşanılan problemler ve bu problemlere yönelik çözüm önerilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Bu amaca ulaşabilmek için araştırma modeli olarak örnek olay tarama modeli seçilmiştir. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını Biyoloji Eğitimi ve Fen Eğitimi Anabilim dallarında biyoloji tabanlı dersleri yürüten 14 akademisyen oluşturmaktadır. Akademisyenlerin biyoloji öğretiminde yaşanılan sorunlarla ilgili görüşleri ve çözüm önerilerini belirlemek amacıyla açık uçlu sorulardan oluşan bir form geliştirilmiştir. Geliştirilen form Google formlar servisi üzerinden internet ortamına aktarılmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen veriler içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Elde edilen veriler içerik analiz yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. İçerik analizinden elde edilen veriler, akademisyenlerin sorulara verdikleri cevaplardan elde edilen temalara göre düzenlenmiş ve bu temaların altında kodlar oluşturulmuştur. Bununla birlikte akademisyenlerin formdaki ifadelerinden doğrudan alıntılar yapılmıştır. Çalışma sonunda; araştırma/akademik yayın, akademisyen niteliği, fakülte/bölüm içi sorunlar, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının niteliği ve biyoloji öğretiminin niteliği gibi temel başlıklar altında pek çok alt problemin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu problemlere yönelik akademisyenlerin çözüm önerilerine çalışmada yer verilmiştir.