Evaluation of the effect of in-class activity-based practices on scientific reasoning skills of pre-service science teachers

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the development of scientific reasoning skills through activities conducted in the scientific reasoning skills course, which pre-service science teachers take as a required course. Participants (N = 53) are 3rd year students of the Department of Science Teaching. The study employed a mixed research method using quantitative and qualitative methods together. In the quantitative part of the study, the single group pre-test-post-test design was used, and in the qualitative part of the study, the case study design was used. Because of the activities conducted in the study, a significant improvement was observed in the scientific reasoning skills of the pre-service teachers. When the pre-service teachers’ opinions were evaluated, themes including their suggestions on the contributions of the course to them, on the course content and for the improvement of the course were obtained.

KEYWORDS:

• Scientific reasoning skills
• Lawson
• in-class activities
• pre-service teachers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics statement

The research presented in this study was approved by the Necmettin Erbakan University, Social and Humanity Sciences Scientific Research Ethics Committee with approval number 2022/184.