Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Science Education Research Association, Kobenhavn, Danimarka, 25 - 29 Ağustos 2025, (Yayınlanmadı)
The aim of this
study is to determine the impact of a professional development (PD) program on
the development of biology teacher candidates' pedagogical content knowledge
(PCK) related to socioscientific issues (SSI) and to examine how this is
reflected in their classroom practices. For this purpose, 11 senior teacher candidates
enrolled in a teaching practicum course participated in an 11-week PD program.
Data on SSI-PCK were collected through interviews conducted both before and
after the PD program, while classroom practice data were collected post-PD and
recorded via video. The SSI-PCK data were analyzed using the "SSI-PCK
Rubric," and classroom practice data were analyzed using the
"Classroom Observation Protocol for Socioscientific Issue-Based
Teaching." The findings reveal that the PD program was highly effective in
enhancing the teacher candidates' SSI-PCK. Furthermore, most teacher candidates
successfully reflected their improved understanding of SSI-PCK in their
classroom practices. Additionally, two teacher candidates whose SSI-PCK
remained in the eclectic category after the PD program showed significant
improvement in their classroom practices, which were classified as advanced due
to the program's impact. Similarly, one teacher candidate transitioned from the
insufficient category to the eclectic category in SSI-PCK post-PD but achieved
an advanced level in SSI-based classroom practices. In this context, it was
observed that teacher candidates demonstrated greater improvement in their
classroom practices related to SSI compared to their SSI-PCK development. The results
suggest that changes in teacher candidates' SSI-PCK exhibit more resistance
compared to their classroom practices following the PD program.