Preservice Science Teachers’ Informal Reasoning about Hydroelectric Power Issue: The Effect of Attitudes towards Socio-scientific Issues and Media Literacy

Authors

  • Bahadır Namdar Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Ege University
  • Burak Aydin Department of Educational Sciences, Ege University
  • Sara Raven Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University, College Station.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.v6i4.1204

Keywords:

Informal reasoning, Attitudes, Media literacy, Science education, Preservice teachers, Argumentation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of media literacy and attitudes towards socioscientific issues as two major predictors of informal reasoning. A sample of 208 preservice science teachers completed an open-ended informal reasoning questionnaire on hydroelectric power plant issue, media literacy level determination scale, and attitudes towards socio-scientific issues scale. In this study, descriptive research method was used. We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data. Results indicated that the participants frequently used ecological-oriented arguments. The participants least used health-oriented arguments. Regarding reasoning qualities, the participants typically created supportive arguments, rather than counterarguments and rebuttals. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed validity and reliability evidence consistent with previous research. Multiple regression analyses revealed that perceived level of media literacy predicted informal reasoning. However, attitudes towards socioscientific issues did not explain informal reasoning. We offer implications for science teacher education programs.

References

Namdar, B., Aydin, B., & Raven, S. (2020). Preservice science teachers’ informal reasoning about hydroelectric power issue: The effect of attitudes towards socio-scientific issues and media literacy. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 6(4), 551-567.

Downloads

Published

2020-09-19

Issue

Vol 6, No 4 (2020)

Section

Articles

License

Articles may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their articles. The journal owns the copyright of the articles. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of the research material.

The author(s) of a manuscript agree that if the manuscript is accepted for publication in the International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), the published article will be copyrighted using a Creative Commons “Attribution 4.0 International” license. This license allows others to freely copy, distribute, and display the copyrighted work, and derivative works based upon it, under certain specified conditions.

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to include any images or artwork for which they do not hold copyright in their articles, or to adapt any such images or artwork for inclusion in their articles. The copyright holder must be made explicitly aware that the image(s) or artwork will be made freely available online as part of the article under a Creative Commons “Attribution 4.0 International” license.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.