Login

Publications  •  Project Statistics

Glossary  •  Schools  •  Disciplines
People Search: 
   
Title/Abstract Search: 

Dissertation Information for Nihal Buldu

NAME:
- Nihal Buldu

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Curriculum and Instruction

SCHOOL:
- Indiana University (USA) (2005)

ADVISORS:
- William Boone

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Hans Andersen
- Valerie Akerson
- Phillip S. Stevens

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Attitudes of pre-service elementary teachers towards science: A cross-national study between the United States of America and Turkey

Abstract: Preservice elementary teachers' attitudes toward science have been the subject of investigation by science educators for decades. Many of the recent attempts pertaining to preservice elementary teachers by science educators have focused on the effects of science method courses on the attitudes and relationships between attitudes and other variables. The research literature lacks studies that compare attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward science across two or more nations.

The current study investigated the attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward science in the U.S. and Turkey in order to see if there is a difference between the U.S. and Turkish preservice elementary teachers' attitudes toward science, and to investigate whether variables such as gender and the grade the preservice teachers wish to teach make a difference in preservice elementary teachers' attitudes towards science. The sample consisted of 1144 preservice elementary teachers. Of the 1144 preservice elementary teachers for whom complete information is available, it is known that 371 preservice elementary teachers were from the U.S. and 773 were from Turkey.

The attitudes of preservice elementary teachers in the U.S. and Turkey were assessed by the data gathered using Turkish and American Preservice Elementary Teachers Attitude Scale (TAPETAS). This scale is a revised version of the Modified Fennema Sherman Attitude Scale (Doepken, Lawsky, and Padwa, 1999).

Results of the current study indicated that both U.S. and Turkish preservice elementary teachers had positive attitudes toward science. However, U.S. preservice elementary teachers had more confidence in science. They found science more useful than their Turkish peers. They had more positive attitudes towards their previous science teachers and were less likely to stereotype science as a male domain. There were not any significant differences between the U.S. preservice elementary teachers due to gender and the grade they wanted to teach. There were significant differences between the Turkish preservice teachers due to gender. Discussion of the findings, implications of the study and recommendations for further research were presented.

MPACT Scores for Nihal Buldu

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-09-22 20:20:50

Advisors and Advisees Graph