Pre-service Science Teachers’ Teaching Beliefs: Responding to ‘Which’, ‘How’ and ‘Why’ Questions

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to explore a comprehensive belief system model of pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs’) beliefs and to examine the reasons why and how these beliefs are in/consistent with each other. A sequential explanatory research design guided the study, with a quantitative approach being followed by a qualitative one. Participating in the quantitative research were 955 PSTs. The results of a structural equation modeling analysis of the dataset indicated that PSTs’ depressive beliefs were related to their epistemological beliefs and that these latter beliefs predicted their teaching-learning conceptions. Twelve PSTs participated in a follow-up research that employed a multiple case research design. Results, at this step, indicated that there was a relationship between a PST’s beliefs and experiences. Furthermore, if any inconsistencies between experiences and peripheral beliefs existed, the relationship was biased toward experiences. Therefore, the experience-biased calibration determined that central beliefs have a greater influence on peripheral beliefs than vice versa. Given these results, certain implications are presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Belief systems
• pre-service science teachers
• epistemological beliefs
• depressive beliefs
• conceptions of teaching and learning

Acknowledgments

This study is a part of Scientific Research Project supported by Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University. Grant Number: 2017.02.04.1149

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Abant Izzet Baysal Üniversitesi [2017.02.04.1149].

Notes on contributors

Eralp Bahçivan

Eralp Bahçivan has received his bachelor, master’s and doctoral degree on science teacher education from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. He has studied as a researcher in Abant Izzet Baysal University for five years. His research has mainly focused on epistemological beliefs of science teachers, science teacher beliefs and belief systems.

Yasin Aydin

Yasin Aydin has received his bachelor degree (BA) in Psychological Counseling and Guidance from Ege University in Turkey and his master’s degree (MA) in Mental Health and Community Counseling from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, USA. Dr. AYDIN has received his doctoral degree (PhD) in Psychological Counseling and Guidance from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. Dr. Yasin AYDIN has been primarily focusing on mindfulness based therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive processes with his research and practice.