The Effect of Flipped Learning Model on Pre-Service Science Teachers' Laboratory Practices

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of the flipped learning model used in the laboratory practices course of pre-service teachers on their conceptual understanding and to evaluate their opinions about this model. In order to achieve this aim, science teaching laboratory applications course was conducted with the flipped learning model with undergraduate students studying at the education faculty of a state university in a metropolitan city in Turkey in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The research was carried out with 47 pre-service teachers studying in the department of science teaching. The study was carried out with the mixed research method in which quantitative and qualitative models were used. In the quantitative part, the quasi-experimental design with the pre-test post-test control group was used, while the case study was used in the qualitative part. The Force and Motion Conceptual Comprehension Test, developed by Thornton and Sokoloff in 1995 and adapted in to Turkish by Kanlı and Gülçiçek in 2006, was used to collect data in the quantitative part of the study. For the qualitative part, a semi-structured interview form was used. Quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS package program. Qualitative data were analyzed by descriptive analysis method according to the themes determined by two researchers. At the end of the study, no difference was found between the post-tests of the conceptual understanding levels of the groups. The pre-service teachers expressed the positive aspects of the flipped learning model as follows: it offers the opportunity to prepare before the lesson, being able to repeat the lessons, experience different classroom environment, facilitating the applications in the lesson, being student-centered, contributing to the individual learning speed, providing learning by understanding. In addition, according to the pre-service teachers, it was observed that this model expressed opinions such as it is difficult to cooperate, time cannot be used efficiently, interaction is low, learning by doing is limited, and it does not improve teaching skills.