experience in this area as applying many context-based problems in schools within .... The problem should make feel students the principles related to real life.
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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 (2012) 3609 – 3613
WCES 2012
The process of creating context based problems by teacher candidates Guner Tural Physics Education, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 55139, Turkey
Abstract This research aims to examine the context-based problems developed by teacher candidates. The research was carried out with 19 teacher candidates from Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education in one of the Black Sea Region universities in Turkey. The problems teacher candidates developed were examined in the framework of described criterions relating with creating context-based problems. At the end of the study, it is determined that the teacher candidates can develop context-based problems even though they are accustomed to traditional problems. It is suggested teacher candidates have experience in this area as applying many context-based problems in schools within teaching practice lesson. ©2012 2012Published Publishedbyby Elsevier Ltd. © Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Uzunboylu Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license. Keywords: Context-based approach, traditional problems, context-based problems, teacher candidates
1. Introduction The present century, information and communication technologies (ICT) are constantly evolving. This development is tried to be reflected to education programs. In the face of ever-increasing information, it has become necessary individuals to know reaching information and producing new information rather than memorize. In traditional classroom, generally teacher-centered type of instruction actualizes. The students listen to lesson, take notes and solve problems centered on memorization and computation. In this context, the traditional approach to learning cannot be effective enough. Looking at the current education programs in Turkey, we see innovative instructional approaches. Context-based approach is one of these innovative instructional approaches. According to contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when students (learners) process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them in their own frames of reference (their own inner worlds of memory, experience, and response). This approach to learning and teaching assumes that the mind naturally seeks meaning in context that is, in relation to the person’s current environment and that it does so by searching for relationships that make sense and appear useful (CORD, 1999, p. 1). In literature there are applications of both instruction and assessment process for context-based approach (e.g. Benckert, 2005; Cooper et al., 2003; Heller and Hollabaugh, 1992; Enghag et al., 2007; Enghag et al., 2009; Kaschalk, 2002; Murphy et al., 2006; Park and Lee, 2004; Rayner, 2005; Rennie and Parker, 1996; Tekbıyık and Akdeniz, 2010; Wierstra and Wubbels, 1994). Tekbıyık and Akdeniz (2010) compared the effectiveness of context based and traditional physics problems. They developed two tests as context based and traditional and applied to 30 high school students. Also semi-structured interviews were performed with 5 students in order to determine the general views of students about the tests. According to findings there was no significant difference between context based and traditional test scores of student. However, many of students found context based problems more understandable, interesting and able to concrete in mind.
1877-0428 © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Uzunboylu Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.114
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Guner Tural / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 (2012) 3609 – 3613
Benckert (2005) states their project with Sune Petterson, Magnus Cedergen, Madelen Holmlund and Lene Lundmark about context in physics education. They constructed context-rich problems for different areas of physics and the also planned qualitative questions and some simple experiments suitable for student discussions around physical concepts. They introduced in Umea group discussions around context-rich problem in five physics courses. It is courses in mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, waves and optics and quantum physics. According to findings group discussions about context-rich problems were very adequate to raise lively and fundamental discussions about physical concepts and principles. They say it is important that the context-rich problems are achieve this aim. Park and Lee (2004) sought answers to following questions in their research: Do students also want to solve physics problems in an everyday context? Do they prefer the everyday contextual problems to the de-contextualized ones as a physics performance test in school? Do they think everyday contextual physics problems are better problems than de- contextualized ones? Also they asked these questions to high school physics teachers and university physics educators. 93 high school students, 36 physics teachers and 9 university physics educators participated in this study. Researchers developed everyday contextual problems and traditional problems. According al performance between contextual and traditional problems. to findings, But it was found that many students, physics teachers and university educators wanted to learn or teach contextual problem solving. Students preferred solving contextual problems on school tests because they thought contextual problems were better problems to solve than traditional problems. In this research, it is aimed to examine the context-based problems developed by teacher candidates in the framework of described criterions relating with developing context-based problems. literature like this. Therefore, this study is thought to contribute to the literature. 2. Methodology 2.1. Sample The sample of the study consists of 19 teacher candidates from Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education in one of the Black Sea Region universities in Turkey. Number of teacher candidates according to their programs is summarized in Table 1. Table 1. The sample of the study Programs
Number of teacher candidates
Physics education
11
Chemistry education
4
Mathematics education
4
2.2. Intervention The research was conducted in 2010-2011 spring term. In the research, firstly literature was reviewed about contextbased approach, context-based assessment and criterions relating to develop context-based problems. The criterions ng were taken into account to develop context-based problems by teacher candidates: 1. 2. 3.
Appropriate context should be determined. The problem should make feel students the principles related to real life. Each problem should contain a scenario, event or story that the major character is the student.
Guner Tural / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 (2012) 3609 – 3613
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4.
In the problem, students should be faced with a problem that can be solved using mental skills (The problem must be at least at the level of comprehension). 5. The problem must be able to be encountered in real life. 6. The problem must be terminated with a qualitative question sentence but reader should make feel that qualitative problem must be proved as quantitative. The context-based assessment was introduced to the teacher candidates. The above criterions and an example for context-based problem were given to teacher candidates in writing the paper. 2.3. Data collection and analysis of the data The teacher candidates were stated to develop context-based problems taking into account the above criterions. Each of teacher candidates developed two context-based problems at high-school level in their fields in two weeks. And these criterions were taken into account to examine the context-based problems teacher candidates developed looking at whether the problems had the criterions. 3. Findings Availability of criterions was determined in context-based problems developed by teacher candidates. For each problem the situation is as in Table 2. Table 2. The availability of criterions in context-based-problems Context-Based
Criterions
Problems
1
2
3
1
x
x
x
x
x
2
x
x
x
x
x
3
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
4
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
5
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
6
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
7
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
8
4
x
9
x
5
6 5
x
2 2
x
x
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
x
x
12
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Total
x
10
13
6
x
6
x
6
5
x
x
x
4
14
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
15
x
x
x
x
x
16
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
x
6
5
17
x
x
x
x
x
18
x
x
x
x
x
5
19
x
x
x
x
x
20
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
21
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
5
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Guner Tural / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 (2012) 3609 – 3613
Context-Based Problems
Criterions 1
2
22
3
4
5
x
x x
6
Total 2
23
x
x
x
24
x
x
x x
x
26
x
x
x
x
x
27
x
x
x
x
x
5
28
x
x
x
x
x
6
29
x
30
x
25
x
x
x
x
4 x
6 2 5
x
x
3
x
x
4
31
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
32
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
33
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
34
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
x
35
x
x
x
x
x
36
x
x
x
x
x
6
37
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
38
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
Total
33
34
36
29
38
25
5
As seen Table 2, all of the criterions have been cared in 22 problems. Below is an example context-based problem meets all criterions that a chemistry teacher candidate developed. said that the oven cooks the meals in late, so it might be faulty. You looked the user guide. In decided to try. You put 00C 1 liter water in oven and heated 10 minutes. You measured the temperature of the water with thermometer and saw it as 700C. You remember from lesson that the density of water 1g/ml and specific heat 1 cal/ g 0C. Do you have to give back the oven? Especially, there are troubles for sixth criterion (The problem must be terminated with a qualitative question sentence but reader should make feel that qualitative problem must be proved as quantitative). Below is an example context-based problem not taking into account the sixth criterion that a mathematics teacher candidate developed. -Kayserispor match with a friend in 11th week of sports toto super league at Saathane Square in tea shop in Samsun. During the match, the speaker said in every match of remaining weeks. Then you started a discussion with your friend about how many of the matches this performance, to reach 85 goals at the end of the league how many of remaining weeks Super league takes 34 weeks and one match is played every week). The above question the teacher candidate considered the first five criterions but terminated the problem with a quantitative sentence. All of the developed problems include the fifth criterion. Namely, the teacher candidates developed problems as to be encountered in real life.
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Guner Tural / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46 (2012) 3609 – 3613
4. Conclusions and Suggestions The context-based approach is one of the approaches given in education programs in Turkey make necessary teachers and teacher candidates learn about it. In this study, context-based assessment was introduced to the teacher candidates. Teacher candidates developed context-based problems according to criterions. Looking at the findings, we can say that the teacher candidates developed acceptable context-based problems according to the defined The problem must be terminated with a criterions. However, some deficiencies are al the most not taken into account in process of developing context-based problem. This may be result of habit of continuing to terminate the problem with a quantitative question sentence as in the traditional problems. Both teachers, students, teacher candidates and academics accustomed to traditional instruction and problems. For this reason, a process is required to adapt to context-based instruction and problems. All problems were developed as to be encountered in real life. That is, teacher candidates were able to find appropriate context. It is suggested teacher candidates have experience in this area as applying many context-based problems in schools within teaching practice lesson. References Benckert, S. (2005). Context and conversation in physics http://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/18144/1/gupea_2077_18144_1.pdf
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19,
2011
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r prior beliefs? Physics Education, 38, 123 129. CORD (Center for Occupational Research and Development). (1999). Teaching science contextually. Retrieved October 16, 2011 from http://www.cord.org/uploadedfiles/Teaching_Science_Contextually.pdf Heller, P., & Hollabaugh, M. (1992). Teaching problem solving through cooperative grouping. Part 2: Designing problems and structuring groups. American Journal of Physics, 60, 637 644. Enghag, M.,Gustafsson, P., & Jonsson, G. (2007). From everyday life experiences to physics understanding occurring in small group work with context rich problems during introductory physics work at university. Research Science Education, 37,449-467. Enghag, M.,Gustafsson, P., & Jonsson, G. (2009). Talking physics during small-group work with context-rich problems analysed from an ownership perspective. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 7, 455-472 Kaschalk, R. (2002). Physics Why bother? . . . Contextual Teaching Exchange, 1, 1 8. The Curriculum Journal, 17, 229 246. Park, J., & Lee, L. (2004). Analyzing cognitive and non-cognitive factors involved in the process of physics problem-solving in an everyday context. International Journal of Science Education, 29, 1577 1595. Rayner, A. (2005). Reflections on context based science teaching: A case study of physics students for physiotherapy. Poster presented at the annual UniServe Science Blended Learning Symposium Proceedings, Sydney, Australia. Australian Science Rennie, L. J.,&Parker, L.H. (1996). Placing physics problems in real-life context: Student Teachers Journal, 42, 55 59. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathmatics Education, 4(1),123-140. Wierstra, R. F. A., &Wubbels, T. (1994). Student perception and appraisal of the learning environment: Core concepts in the evaluation of the PLON physics curriculum. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 20, 437 455.
