Investigation of preservice science teachers' nature of science understanding and decision making on socioscientific issue through the fractal model

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2019

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: ELİF ECE ADAL

Danışman: Jale Çakıroğlu

Özet:

This is a qualitative grounded theory study to reveal how decision making (DM) processes on socioscientific issue (SSI) in a referendum case are operated by unsophisticated (Group U) and sophisticated (Group S) ones in terms of nature of science (NOS) understandings. Firstly, pre-study was conducted with focus group interviews with pre-service science teachers. With the findings, semi-structured in-depth interviews of main study for DM on SSI- the artificial meat was developed. In main study, 12 participants’ responses were analyzed and new DM model named the Fractal Model of DM which reflects real life situation DM process especially referendum case was constructed. In DM, NOS lens usages of five NOS aspects about creativity and imagination, observation and inference, empirical-basis, subjectivity, and social and cultural embeddedness, and, 23 other lens usages such as animal rights (morality), economic, risk factor etc. were detected and explained through the Fractal Model. It was understood that, with multiple lens usage, each participant had multi-perspective considerations in DM. While Group S used NOS lenses mainly parallel with their NOS understandings, in same case Group U used NOS lenses in a more complicated way. Generally, Group U with rational ritualism and Group S with go-for-it approach ended the referendum simulation with YES for sale of the artificial meat in Turkish markets. Three participants with mixed-scanning voted NO and they were only participants who used sophisticatedly NOS lens about empirical-basis in their decision.