PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ VIEWS REGARDING THE EFFECT OF LEARNING SCIENTISTS’ BIOGRAPHIES ON STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to explore the third year elementary education students’ views about the effect of learning-knowing the biographies of scientists on students’ studying at every level from primary school to university in terms of thinking, questioning, inquiry skills as well as studying, learning and achievement. The study is a descriptive study. Of 81 third year students studying in elementary education program, 29 male and 52 female students participated in the study. The data of the study were obtained via an interview form consisting of four open-ended questions developed by the researcher taking expert opinion. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were carried out with six undergraduate students chosen randomly among the students who volunteered and had free time to participate in the study. It was revealed that the percentages of the participants who stated that learning the biographies of scientists interest me, I dreamed of being a scientist, and the biographies of scientists will lead the elementary, secondary, and high school students to think, to do research, to study, and to learn more were 87.6%, 39.5% and 95.0%, respectively. Moreover, it can be stated that regarding the question “Does reading-learning the biographies of scientists motivate undergraduate students to think, to do research, to study, to learn, and to achieve more?”, 85.2% of the participants said “yes”, it does-it can”. Considering that using the biographies of scientists for acquiring and implementing the scientific process skills and actualizing values education at national or universal levels will be effective and efficient, it is suggested that the biographies of scientists should be used frequently.

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