Attitudes Towards Astronomy Among the Pre-Service Teachers’ Different Cognitive Styles: Alternative Course Sample

Pre-service primary teachers mostly have negative attitudes towards science teaching and learning, and their science background is usually low. This usually results in them feeling unable or unconfident to teach science at school. A previous step to improve their willingness to teach science to children is that they feel they can learn in-depth any science core idea. To do that, a course conducted as oriented-research about a core science problem was developed and used to evaluate the influence of their previous science background and initial attitudes towards science teaching and learning on content knowledge attainment. The chosen science idea was about diurnal astronomy (Sun movements and the Sun/Earth model). Content knowledge attainment was assessed using learning indicators, which represent what pre-service teachers should “know” and “know how” on this science core idea. Overall, pre-service teachers achieved high learning levels on this topic, and no significant differences in content knowledge attained by students according to both initial attitudes and science background were found. This suggests that this teaching methodology could be useful for pre-service teachers to achieve a thorough knowledge on science core ideas, which is considered to be an important step to improve their willingness to teach science at the primary school. Keywords: astronomy education, science content knowledge, teacher education.

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In-Depth Teaching as Oriented-Research About Seasons and the Sun/Earth Model: Effects on Content Knowledge Attained by Pre-Service Primary Teachers

Torregrosa

Limiñana

Menargues

et al. 2018

JBSE

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Improvements in Teachers' Knowledge and Understanding of Basic Astronomy Concepts Through Didactic Games

Pavlin

2020

JBSE

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Literature review shows that many primary school teachers have poor understanding of basic astronomy contents. Therefore, the aim of the study was to introduce specific astronomical content to in-service primary school teachers through two didactic games, to evaluate the didactic games and the teachers’ knowledge and understanding before and after the implementation of the didactic games. The research included 24 in-service primary school teachers. The data were collected through the knowledge test (pre-post design) and questionnaires for each didactic game. The results showed that the teachers evaluated the didactic games as suitable for use in the classroom as they emphasized that they are educational, explicit and interesting. The implementation was identified as effective because the median for fractional gains was 0.54 and showed the medium gain in teachers’ knowledge and understanding of selected astronomy contents. It was recognized that in-service primary school teachers do not feel competent for introducing complex astronomical contents to their students. However, the presented approach could encourage in-service primary school teachers to deepen their knowledge and to teach astronomy contents with a method that is closer to their students. University teachers could point out the advantages and disadvantages of didactic games in astronomy content and discuss them with pre-service primary school teachers. Keywords: astronomy education, didactic games, in-service primary school teachers, Moon phases

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Developing and Testing a Board Game to Learn About Stars

Tanel

Önder

2020

International Journal of Game-Based Learning

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The aim of this study is to introduce an educational game called The Star Game, and to examine its effects on prospective science teachers' conceptual understanding of stars. In addition, their opinions of The Star Game were examined. The study was conducted with a total of 54 prospective teachers in three groups. The Star Game was played in all three groups and data was collected using the Star Properties Concept Inventory and the Star Game Opinion Questionnaire. The conceptual understanding on the stars increased significantly in all three groups after the application. The Star Game was described as enjoyable, interesting, instructive, and promoting a positive classroom environment, and a valuable educational activity for the profession. Criticisms included the length of answers, the noise caused in the classroom, and the time required.

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Attitudes Towards Astronomy Among the Pre-Service Teachers’ Different Cognitive Styles: Alternative Course Sample

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

In-Depth Teaching as Oriented-Research About Seasons and the Sun/Earth Model: Effects on Content Knowledge Attained by Pre-Service Primary Teachers

In-Depth Teaching as Oriented-Research About Seasons and the Sun/Earth Model: Effects on Content Knowledge Attained by Pre-Service Primary Teachers

Improvements in Teachers' Knowledge and Understanding of Basic Astronomy Concepts Through Didactic Games

Developing and Testing a Board Game to Learn About Stars

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