The aim in the research was to investigate the effect of Montessori-based STEM education on the self-directed learning skills of pre-service pre-school teachers. A mixed method was employed in the research. The sample of the research consisted of 53 pre-service teachers enrolled in the Pre-school Teacher Education Programme at a mid-sized state university in northeast Turkey. During the research, Montessori-based STEM education was given to the pre-service teachers for two hours per week over 14 weeks. The Self-directed Learning Skills scale was applied to obtain the quantitative data and the Semi-structured Interview Form was used for the qualitative data in the research. After coding the data in content analysis, the themes of the coded data were written down. In order to contribute to the validity of the research, direct quotations from the participant group were included in the findings section and participant confirmation was carried out. In order to contribute to the reliability of the data analysis, the consistency of the results with each other was checked by five experts during the data analysis. The aim was to contribute to the reliability of the study by explaining the data collection and analysis sections in detail. At the end of the research, it was observed that there was a significant difference between the self-directed learning skills pre-test and post-test scores and that the qualitative analysis results supported this difference in direction with the development. These developments were determined from the statements by the pre-service teachers in their interviews stating that the training contributed greatly to their personal and social development and helped them gain learning and teaching skills about a subject. In line with the results obtained, it can be concluded that pre-school teacher candidates' self-directed learning skills such as self-confidence, perseverance, self-planned learning, and self-assessment were developed by Montessori approach-based STEM education.
In this present study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of teaching practices with real life content in light and sound learning areas. With this purpose, it was intended to determine the contribution of teaching practices with real life content (TPRLC) to the levels of pre-service teachers' skills to associate the light and sound learning areas with daily life. The research was designed with an experimental basis and data were collected with the pre-test, post-test pattern. The participants consisted of 30 university students who were in fourth grade in Secondary School Science Teacher Training Department. Data were collected with questionnaires including open-ended questions related to the Use of Learning Areas in Daily Life. With the results, it was found out that the levels of pre-service teachers in associating the learning areas with daily life doubled in light learning areas and trebled in sound learning areas.
This research was conducted to determine whether there is any effect of the Montessori approachbased STEM activities on the development of the problem-solving skills of pre-service preschool teachers or not. The mixed-method was employed in the research. The sample of the research consisted of 50 teacher candidates studying at the Faculty of Education Preschool Teaching Department in the 2017-2018 academic year. A single grouped pretest-posttest pattern was created to determine the difference in the problem-solving skills of the pre-service teachers in the research. The quantitative data gathered during the process of the research were analysed with the statistical methods; the qualitative data were analysed with the content analysis. In the study, quantitative data were collected using the "Problem Solving Scale", and qualitative data were collected using the "Semi-Structured Interview Form". The interview form is quantitative and consists of 10 open-ended questions in total. This form was applied only to 15 volunteers at the end of the study. For 14 weeks, candidates were given Montessori approachbased STEM training. In the findings obtained as a result of the research; it was observed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of problem-solving skills and the qualitative analysis results also supported the quantitative results. With these findings, it was concluded that the activities developed the problemsolving skills of individuals and produced solutions to the problem from different perspectives.
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