Examination of Attitudes, Views and Skills of Early Childhood Education Teacher Candidates on Science Education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between scientific process skills, attitudes toward science and science teaching and to uncover third and fourth class early childhood education (ECE) teacher candidates' views on science teaching. Mixed method research design was used in this study. Both of the quantitative and qualitative data was collected from the participants. The findings of the study showed that ECE teacher candidates' scientific process skills were at the medium level and their attitudes toward science and science teaching were positive. There was a significant difference at their scientific process skills and attitudes toward science teaching according to the high school they graduated from. The scientific process skills variable was a moderator and partly accounted for the relationship between attitudes toward science and attitudes toward science teaching. Findings gathered from interviews indicated that the future ECE teachers could state which outcomes and methods/technics they could use in early childhood science education, but they couldn't give comprehensive science activity examples.

An Investigation of Pre-Service Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Self-Efficacy Towards Science Education According to Various Variables

“…As a result of the study, it was determined that pre-service preschool teachers had positive attitudes toward science teaching. Similarly, Aydın Şengül and Ertürk Kara (2016), Babaroğlu and Okur Metwalley (2018), Çınar (2013), Erden andSönmez (2011), andSönmez (2007) found that preschool teachers and pre-service teachers had positive attitudes towards science education. Raviv & Galili (2023) also found that most preschool teachers attach importance to teaching scientific content in kindergarten and that all teachers have positive attitudes towards science teaching in preschool education.…”