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Turkish Preservice Science Teachers’ Informal Reasoning Regarding Socioscientific Issues and the Factors Influencing Their Informal Reasoning

Journal of Science Teacher Education volume 22, pages 313–332 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to explore Turkish preservice science teachers’ informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues and the factors influencing their informal reasoning. The researchers engaged 39 preservice science teachers in informal reasoning interview and moral decision-making interview protocols. Of the seven socioscientific issues, three issues were related to gene therapy, another three were related to human cloning, and one was related to global warming. The data were analyzed using an interpretive qualitative research approach. The characteristic of informal reasoning was determined as multidimensional, and the patterns of informal reasoning emerged as rationalistic, emotive, and intuitive reasoning. The factors influencing informal reasoning were: personal experiences, social considerations, moral-ethical considerations, and technological concerns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Elementary Science Education Department, College of Education, Yüzüncü Yıl University, 65080, Van, Turkey

    Mustafa Sami Topçu

  2. Elementary Science Education Department, College of Education, Middle East Technical University, 06531, Ankara, Turkey

    Özgül Yılmaz-Tüzün

  3. School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, 2403 Norman Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Troy D. Sadler

Authors
  1. Mustafa Sami Topçu
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  2. Özgül Yılmaz-Tüzün
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  3. Troy D. Sadler
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Correspondence to Mustafa Sami Topçu.

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Topçu, M.S., Yılmaz-Tüzün, Ö. & Sadler, T.D. Turkish Preservice Science Teachers’ Informal Reasoning Regarding Socioscientific Issues and the Factors Influencing Their Informal Reasoning. J Sci Teacher Educ 22, 313–332 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-010-9221-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-010-9221-0

Keywords

  • Preservice science teachers
  • Informal reasoning
  • Socioscientific issues
  • Factors influencing informal reasoning