The purpose of this study was to explore the understandings of prospective early childhood teachers on scientific knowledge and scientific method. The study was interpretive in nature. The data were collected through various open-ended questions with subsequent auxiliary ones directed towards ten participants during a combination of in-depth focus group interviews and getting peer feedbacks in this process. Conversations and discussions among the participants were tracked on a tape recorder during the sessions and translated verbatim. The study focused on convenience and criterion sampling. As a criterion, academic achievement (accumulated GDA's) was considered, and the participants were assigned to the final sample this way. The data were analyzed in accordance with the conceptual framework of Marshall and Rossman [1] using an analytical task of qualitative approach. All data that were described, categorized and related to each other in the analysis are given in categories as well as emergent codes. Views of the participants were related to each other in an interpretive manner. Based on the results, the implications and the directions for further study are discussed.

The fulfillment of meaningful learning in the course of teaching process depends upon students' achievement in associating scientific conceptions with the facts they encounter in their daily lives. In science courses, students are generally unable to understand the meanings of the concepts accurately due to the unavailability of using practical examples from daily life in the school settings. In science education, particularly in conceptual learning, the association of the conceptions with daily lives needs to be paid more attention by both teachers and students. Research provides evidence on students' tendency to memorize rather learning meaningfully. The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent students associate the conceptions included in the unit of "Water Chemistry and Water Treatment" with the facts encountered in the daily basis. The study was conducted in accordance with survey method. To collect more interpretive data, students were exposed to open-ended questions located in a standard form. These questions were designed in accordance with certain facts and circumstances related to water chemistry and water treatment and students were expected to give scientific explanations of the conceptions appropriate for the prevailing content of science teaching curriculum. The responses collected by the forms were categorized considering categorizations already exist in the related literature. According to the results, it is concluded that students are not fully capable of associating the conceptions with their daily lives.

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ÖzBu araştırmada teknoloji destekli öğretimin 8. Sınıf öğrencilerinin bilimsel süreç becerilerine ve akademik başarılarına etkisinin incelenmesi amacıyla amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada son test kontrol gruplu zayıf deneysel model kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini 2012-2013 eğitim-öğretim yılı bahar döneminde Kâhta Akıncılar Ortaokulunda öğrenim gören 64(32 deney,32 kontrol) 8.sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Deney ve Kontrol grubunda "Canlılar ve Enerji İlişkileri"" Ünitesi için dörder haftalık öğretim süreci tasarlanmış ve uygulanmıştır. Ünite konuları deney grubunda mevcut öğretim programının belirlemiş olduğu etkinliklere ek olarak teknoloji destekli etkinlikler kullanılarak işlenmiş, kontrol grubunda ise mevcut öğretim programın belirlediği etkinliklerle öğretim gerçekleşmiştir. Veri toplama aracı olarak 39 soruluk akademik başarı testi ile 26 sorudan oluşan bilimsel süreç becerileri testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre teknoloji destekli öğretimin 8. sınıf öğrencilerinin fen dersindeki akademik başarı ve bilimsel süreç becerilerinin gelişimi üzerinde olumlu etkilerinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Analiz sonuçları mevcut programda belirtilen etkinliklerle birlikte teknolojik destekli etkinlikler kullanılarak zenginleştirilen öğretimin, sadece programda yer verilen etkinliklerin uygulanmasına oranla daha arttırdığını ve bilimsel süreç becerilerini geliştirdiğini göstermiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Teknoloji Destekli Öğretim, Fen Eğitimi, Bilimsel Süreç Becerileri, Akademik Başarı AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of technology based education on scientific process skills and academic achievements. The study was carried out during the spring semester of 2012-2013 academic year. Pre-Experimental design was used as a method. The sample group consisted of sixty four primary school students" of 8th grade. Thirty two of them were in the intervention group. Several instructional implications were designed with regard to the unit of Humans and Energy elations and these implementations lasted for four weeks in both intervention and control group. Students who took part in the intervention group were given some extra technology supported activities as well as currently prevailing science education programme. An academic achievement test with 39 questions and scientific process skills test with 26 questions were used in order to collect data. According to the results, it was concluded that there were some positive effects of technology based education on students" scientific process skills and academic achievements. Additionally, enriched activities were more effective than those activities which already took part in the science education programme.

Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, lise öğrencilerinin epistemolojik inançlarının kimya dersi akademik başarılarına etkisini incelemektir.