Pre-service Science Teachers’ Conceptions of Sound and the Role of Task Value Beliefs

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the extent of pre-service science teachers’ (PTS) process and materialistic understanding of sound concept and the role of their task value beliefs in their scientific conception of sound. With this aim, the Sound Concept Inventory Instrument (SCII) was translated and adapted to Turkish. The SCII was administered to 320 PTS from four universities across Turkey. The average percentages of correct responses of PTS to the main and subcategory questions of the SCII showed that PTS hold both materialistic and process views of sound. Moreover, the results of the regression analysis indicated that PTSs’ task value belief was a significant predictor of their scientific view of sound. Based on these findings, a number of recommendations have been suggested for PTS education programs in Turkey.

Keywords

• conceptual learning
• pre-service teachers
• science education
• sound physics
• task value