SCIENCE TEACHER CANDIDATES' VIEWS ON V-DIAGRAM AS A MEASUREMENT AND ASSESSMENT TOOL

FEN BİLGİSİ ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ BİR ÖLÇME DEĞERLENDİRME ARACI OLARAK V-DİYAGRAMINA İLİŞKİN GÖRÜŞLERİ

Abstract

Introduction Science laboratories are the places where subjects are supported with experiments for a better learning in science and technology lessons. In order science education to be effective, it is required to concretize the subjects processed theoretically during the lessons with the practices and transfer them into the daily life. In the science laboratories where students find the chance learning by discovering, get excited and pleasure while learning science concrete experiences at first hand and meaningful learning are realized (Çepni and Ayvacı, 2008). However all this applied process in our country is being evaluated with the traditional experiment reports generally and the outcomes form the product of the learning process by theoretical knowledge weighted. This situation prevents students from thinking elaborately, learning meaningfully and relating the previously existed knowledge with the new ones learned during the laboratory study (Atılboz and Yakışan, 2003). Students also think that there are many deficiencies and unnecessary information in traditional experiment reports and they can’t make any connections between the theoretical part of the experiment and their observation during the experiment; they are interested in some superficial features and there is no standardization between the reports (Nakiboğlu and Meriç, 2000). Therefore, evaluation in laboratory activities having an important role in science teaching should be realized with “alternative evaluation” which covers the performance and real evaluation and is different from traditional theoretical documents. One of the alternative evaluation tools which can be used in laboratories is V-diagram. V-diagrams were developed to enlighten the nature and the aim of the laboratory studies in science by Novak and Gowin firstly (Novak and Gowin, 1984). V-diagram formed by three main parts provides the connection between the focus question located in the middle of the V letter, procedural part on the right side and the conceptual part on the left side. While forming the V-diagram firstly the problem, concept theory related to the problem and the principals are determined; during the laboratory studies data are gathered by recognizing the objects related to the research and then these data are transferred. So Vdiagrams enable the individual to organize the knowledge better helping make connections between the conceptions and to learn meaningfully (Alvarez and Risko, 2007; Aydoğdu and Kesercioğlu, 2005). For example, SavranGencer, Sevim and Kaska (2015) in their studies express that V-diagrams used in General Laboratories have contributed the students’ learning positively and raised the success. Similarly it is mentioned that v-diagrams are one of the tools which can be used in preparing and evaluating the research reports, evaluating the students, examining the laboratory leaflets and designing the education programs (Novak and Gowin, 1984). This diagram enables the students to prepare a report as to the experiment by having used in pre, while and post-experiment activities. By this means, students make connections between the theoretical knowledge learned in science lessons and the laboratory studies and understand the laboratory reports more easily (Gurley Dilger, 1992). Vdiagram basically is a learning and assessment and evaluation tool prepared during the laboratory studies and replacing the experiment report (Nakiboğlu, Benlikaya and Karakoç, 2001). This diagram can be used for many different aims such as to design and improve the education programs, prepare the research report and evaluate, analyze the laboratory leaflets, evaluate the lesson and the students (Novak veGovin, 1984). In this research too, V-diagram is used as an assessment and evaluation tool in laboratory lesson. In this research, it is aimed to obtain the science teacher candidates opinions as to Vdiagram used as an assessment and evaluation tool in Physics Laboratory II lesson and to evaluate these opinions. Method In this research, phenomenological method of the qualitative research methods has been applied in order to obtain the suitable data for this research’s aim. Participants from whom the data obtained have been gathered by purposeful sampling (Cohen, Monion and Morrison, 2007). The study group of the research is formed by 30 teacher candidates studying in the 1st year of a public university located in Ankara in the spring semester of 2014-2015 academic year. Before proceeding with the application of the research, by the researchers Vdiagrams and a seminar as to the preparation of the V-diagrams were given and V-diagram examples prepared suitably to the rules by the researchers were shown to the participants. Later, the participants were asked to realize the experiments determined in the curriculum and prepare a V-diagram related to each experiment instead of traditional reporting methods during the research process. Assessments and evaluations as to the lesson of teacher candidates were realized with these diagrams and the research data were gathered with 3 semistructured interview questions prepared by the researchers in the end of the process. An interview form including semi-structured interview questions as to the usage of V-diagrams as an alternative assessment and evaluation tool to the traditional methods and V-diagrams used during the semi-structured interviews were followed. Experts in their own fields 4 researchers’ opinions have been consulted for the validity of the questions and this form. Content analysis of the qualitative data analysis methods have been used in order to analyze the gathered qualitative data. The documents gathered by having typed of the interview results have been analyzed by the HyperRESEARCHTM 2.6.1. qualitative analysis program in order to have the convenience while recognizing the relation between the data and coding. Results and Discussion By analyzing the answers given to the open-ended questions directed

Özet

Bu araştırmada fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının Fizik Laboratuvarı II dersinde ölçme ve değerlendirme aracı olarak kullanılan V-diyagramlarına ilişkin değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 20142015 eğitim-öğretim yılı bahar döneminde Ankara'da bulunan bir devlet üniversitesinin 1. sınıfına devam eden toplam 30 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Süreç sonunda araştırmanın verileri, araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşme soruları ile toplanmıştır. Elde edilen nitel verilerin çözümlenmesi için nitel veri analiz sonuçlarının yazılı hale getirilmesi ile elde edilen dokümanlar, veriler arası ilişkilerin görülmesi ve kodlama yapılırken kolaylık sağlanması bakımından Hyper RESEARCHTM 2.6.1. nitel analiz programı ile analiz edilmiştir. diyagramlarının klasik deney raporlarından üstünlüklerin ilişkin görüşlerinin araştırıldığı ilk soruya içerik açısından, görsel açıdan ve öğrenci kazanımları açısından olmak üzere üç tema altında değerlendirme yaptığı görülmüştür. Daha sonra öğretmen adaylarına Vdiyagramlarına yönelik kişisel görüşleri sorulmuş ve adayların pek çoğunun bulunmuştur. Son olarak öğretmen adaylarına öğretmen olduklarında V-diyagramlarını kullanıp kullanmayacaklarını sorulmuştur. Öğretmen adaylarının V- diyagramlarını kullanışlı ve pratik olma, ilgi çekici olma ve anlaşılır olma gibi özelliklerinden dolayı öğretmen olduklarında kullanacaklarını belirttikleri görülmüştür