Abstract:

In this study it was aimed to investigate primary science, religion culture and moral knowledge teacher candidates’ image of the scientist with respect to some variables. As research approach, survey method was used. The sample consisted of one hundred and eleven primary science, religion culture and moral knowledge teacher candidates. As the data collection tool, a validated Turkish version of “a scientist drawing scale” with four sub dimensions originally developed by Song and Kim (1999) was used. The qualitative and quantitative data was separately analyzed by calculating frequency and percentages for each sub dimension of the scale, and compared statistically to explore the possible image distinctions according to the variables like gender and enrolled department. The findings showed that teacher candidates hold positive perceptions of cognitive images of the scientist and that scientists are thought to have eye-glasses, blowsy hair, and a lab coat. Moreover, it was found that most of them conceived the scientist as someone presentable. The same findings suggested that teacher candidates supposed scientists as a male aged between 30-50, busy working in a lab or his office, doing experiments and thinking. In addition, in teacher candidates’ responses, scientists were pictured using objects such as glasses, experiment tubes, a table and Bunsen. Findings also showed that the dominant scientist examples in their minds are male ones like Einstein, Edison, and Ibn-i Sina and that the substantial sources of their images are scientist biographies, muse and laboratory expeditions, movies, journals, internet and textbooks.

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