Abstract:

– Nowadays increasing importance of science process skills and laboratory approach in science education requires the acquisition of scientific process skills that teachers should have been gained those skills during pre-service training courses to transfer their students. Peer instruction, which results in effective outcomes for concept teaching recently, comprises another aspect of this study. The aim of this study is to determine whether scientific process skills laboratory approach, which is supported with peer instruction, is an effective method to improve some high level scientific process skills of pre-service teachers. Single group experimental research design was used in this study. Data were collected by using open ended experiment worksheets, student rubrics, experiment evaluation questionnaire and semi-structured interviews during peer instruction supported scientific process skills laboratory approach in which third year primary science education students at Balikesir University took part in six weeks long application. Findings of the study show that pre-service teachers’ skills of determining variables, changing and controlling variables and making inferences improved while constructing hypotheses and setting up experiment skills were not improved. It is suggested that peer instruction supported scientific process skills laboratory approach should be used to acquire scientific process skills

Keywords: