Opinions of Pre-service Classroom Teachers towards Laboratory Using in Science Instruction and Their Preferences towards Laboratory Approaches

Abstract

This study is a descriptive study that adopts relational screening model with the aim of determining pre-service classroom teachers’ opinions about laboratory use in science teaching their preferences among laboratory approaches and identifying the reasons of the answers given by the pre-service teachers. The sample of the study is 236 pre-service classroom teachers. The data were collected through “Questionnaire to Determine Pre-service Teachers Opinions towards Laboratory Use” and “Teachers’ perceptions on Laboratory Applications Scale”. In order to determine the laboratory approach that the pre-service teachers adopt, the students worked in groups. Each group was expected to prepare a lesson plan to teach a science concept they chose in the laboratory. As a result of the findings, it was found that although pre-service classroom teachers have positive opinions about using laboratory in science instruction, they perceive themselves incompetent at effective use of laboratory, laboratory safety and effective use of time in laboratory.