Understanding Brain Functions of Prospective Biology Teachers From An Educational Neuroscience Perspective: A Qualitative Study With A Phenomenological Design

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 24 Sayı: 1, 481 - 504, 15.03.2024

İrem Selin Alper , Sena Seçil Akpınarlı , Gamze Mercan , Pınar Köseoğlu

https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2024..-1321906

Öz

: In recent years, educational neuroscience, a new field examining the interaction between neuroscience and education, has gained importance. This field stands out as an approach that aims to utilize neuroscience research to understand brain functioning and learning processes. Biology teacher candidates are the cornerstone of biology education and play a crucial role in not only teaching biology topics to students but also guiding them towards learning and using effective learning strategies. Therefore, the knowledge and understanding of educational neuroscience among prospective biology teachers are of critical importance in understanding factors that influence learning processes and developing instructional strategies. The aim of this research is to examine the level of understanding and misconceptions of brain functions from the perspective of educational neuroscience among biology teacher candidates. The study also aims to identify the knowledge and understanding of prospective biology teachers regarding educational neuroscience and enhance awareness in this field. The research utilized a qualitative research method called phenomenology. The study group consisted of 16 prospective biology teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. Semi-structured interview questions were used as the data collection tool, and the obtained data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings were examined under the categories of "Concept of Educational Neuroscience," "Relationship between Educational Neuroscience and Unhealthy Food Preferences," "Educational Neuroscience and Playing Brain Games," and "Technology Use in Preferred Tasks and Reducing Boredom Threshold." The participants' views regarding the concept of educational neuroscience, its relationship with unhealthy food preferences, the relationship between playing brain games and cognitive development, and the use of technology in preferred tasks to reduce the threshold of boredom were revealed. The results of the research highlight the importance of increasing awareness of educational neuroscience among prospective biology teachers and emphasizing educational neuroscience in teacher training programs. Additionally, it is recommended to develop effective strategies to reduce conceptual misconceptions regarding brain functioning among teacher candidates.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Biology Teacher Candidates, Neuroscience, Educational Neuroscience, Phenomenology

Biyoloji Öğretmen Adaylarının Eğitsel Sinirbilim Perspektifinden Beyin İşlevlerini Anlama: Olgubilim Desenli Nitel Bir Araştırma

Öz

Son yıllarda, nörobilim ve eğitim arasındaki etkileşimi inceleyen yeni bir alan olan eğitim nörobilimi önem kazanmıştır. Bu alan, beyin işleyişini ve öğrenme süreçlerini anlamak için nörobilim araştırmalarından yararlanmayı hedefleyen bir yaklaşım olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Biyoloji öğretmen adayları, biyoloji eğitiminin temel taşıdır ve öğrencilere biyoloji konularını anlatmanın yanı sıra onları öğrenmeye yönlendirmek ve etkili öğrenme stratejilerini kullanmalarını sağlamak gibi önemli bir rol üstlenirler. Bu nedenle, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının eğitim nörobilimine ilişkin bilgi ve anlayışları, öğrenme süreçlerini etkileyen faktörleri anlamada ve öğretim stratejilerini geliştirmede kritik öneme sahiptir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının eğitim nörobilimi perspektifinden beyin işlevlerini anlama düzeylerini ve yanılgılarını incelemektir. Araştırma ayrıca biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının eğitim nörobilimi hakkındaki bilgi ve anlayışlarını belirlemeyi ve bu alanda farkındalığı artırmayı hedeflemektedir. Bu araştırmada, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olgubilim (fenomenoloji) kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Türkiye'deki bir devlet üniversitesinde öğrenim gören 16 biyoloji öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme soruları kullanılmış ve elde edilen veriler içerik analizi yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular, "Eğitsel Sinirbilim Kavramı", "Eğitsel Sinirbilim ve Sağlıksız Yiyecek Tercihleri Arasındaki İlişki", "Eğitsel Sinirbilim ve Zeka Oyunları Oynama", "Eğitsel Sinirbilim ve Tercih Edilen Görevlerde Teknoloji Kullanma" başlıkları altında incelenmiştir. Katılımcıların eğitsel sinirbilim kavramını, sağlıksız yiyecek tercihleriyle ilişkisini, zeka oyunları oynama ile zeka gelişimi arasındaki ilişkiyi ve tercih ettikleri görevlerde teknoloji kullanımının sıkılmaya karşı eşik düzeyini azaltma konusundaki görüşleri ortaya çıkmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları, biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının eğitim nörobilimi hakkındaki farkındalığını artırmak ve öğretmen yetiştirme programlarında eğitim nörobilimine daha fazla vurgu yapmanın önemini vurgulamaktadır. Ayrıca, öğretmen adaylarının beyin işleyişine yönelik kavramsal yanılgılarını azaltmak için etkili stratejilerin geliştirilmesi önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Biyoloji öğretmen adayları, Sinirbilim, Eğitsel Sinirbilim, Olgubilim

Teşekkür

Bu araştırma TÜBİTAK 3005 Sosyal ve Beşeri Bilimlerde Yenilikçi. Çözümler Araştırma Projeleri Destek Programı kapsamında desteklenen 121G202 No'lu "Biyoloji Eğitiminde Nöromitlerin Belirlenmesi Ve Giderilmesi: Eğitsel Bağlamda Dijital Hikaye Anlatımı İle Argümantasyon İçeriklerinin Geliştirilmesi Ve Etkililiğinin Değerlendirilmesi" projesinden üretilmiştir. Ayrıca 20.- 23. Mart 2023'de Goethe Üniversitesi' Frankfurt am Main Almanya'da gerçekleşen 24. internationale Frühjahrsschule'de poster olarak sunulmuştur.

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