I can’t teach science! A case study of an elementary pre-service teacher’s intersection of science experiences, beliefs, attitude, and self-efficacy

Mahsa Kazempour

Published: Jan. 10, 2014

The case study reported in this paper is part of a larger multiple cross case analysis focusing on pre-service teachers with various initial confidence and attitudes toward science and science teaching. In this paper, the focus will be on one elementary teacher candidate, Lisa, who began the science methods course with a negative attitude and low self-efficacy. An in-depth description of her beliefs, attitude, and self-efficacy, before and after the course, the impact of her prior science experience and the science methods course on shaping these domains, and the possible interrelationship between the three variables are discussed. The findings revealed …

Students’ Misunderstandings about the Energy Conservation Principle: A General View to Studies in Literature

Erdal Tatar,

Münir Oktay

Published: June 10, 2007

This paper serves to review previously reported studies on students’ misunderstandings about the energy conservation principle (the first law of thermodynamics). Generally, studies in literature highlighted student’ misunderstandings about the energy conservation principle stem from preliminaries about energy concept in daily life. Since prior knowledge of students’ misunderstandings of scientific content knowledge is the first step in preventing these misunderstandings, it is considered that such a study will provide an important source for studies which aims to reduce or eliminate misunderstandings on the energy conservation principle.