The effects of full Studio class on pre-service teachers’ conceptual understanding and inquiry skills

Abstract

This study aims to examine effects of full studio class on pre-service teachers’ conceptual understanding and inquiry skills about Bernoulli Principle. The sample of the study consists of 51 first year pre-service primary science students of one education faculty in Turkey. General physics course was designed by using “Full Studio” approach which is known to be one of the active learning approaches. Course schedule, which involved active learning techniques and Bernoulli Principle, was implemented for four weeks. Single group pre test- post test weak experimental design, in which the same data collection instruments were applied to the same students before and after teaching, was used in this study. Data were collected by means of conceptual understanding test and inquiry skills scale. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students to explore their responses in the test and to reveal their ideas about teaching process before and after instruction. This study is a mixed methods research in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently. Students’ responses to conceptual understanding test were analyzed by using rubrics which indicated changes in conceptual frameworks of students. Analysis results of data obtained from inquiry skills scale showed that students inquiry skills were improved and there was a statistically significant difference between the pre and post scales (t=3.39; p<.05). Interview data also supported the difference in students’ inquiry skills. Suggestions were made for designing a full studio class and for whom to use active learning and full studio approaches.