Analyzing elementary teachers' views on the nature of science according to their academic levels

This study aims to determine the views of NOS of pre-service elementary teachers who are in the position of students. Also, it will be analyzed whether the pre-service student teachers' views on NOS will change thanks to education in their faculties. That is, analyzing the elementary teachers' views on NOS according to their academic level; it will be investigated whether there is any statistically significant difference. The study consists of 263 students of different academic levels who attended the department of elementary teaching in the education faculty of Bayburt in the 2008-2009 academic years. At the end of the study, it can be said that the faculties of education fulfill the post they take on. However it has been determined that the candidates do not have contemporary views on nature of science, but positive views. The faculties of education makes students acquire a view of the nature of science but cannot make them have a contemporary view of the nature of science. This results from the fact that teacher candidates cannot develop their views on the nature of science in their educational life before they come to education faculty. For this reason it is necessary that the students at every level develop their view on the nature of science. In this way, for the candidates acquiring the viewpoint of the nature of science will become easier. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.