Turkish elementary school students' images of scientists

Kaya O. N., Dogan A., Oecal E.

EURASIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, vol.8, no.32, pp.83-100, 2008 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 8 Issue: 32
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • Journal Name: EURASIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.83-100
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Problem Statement: Since 1957 there has been a growing body of research related to how students perceive scientists. Results of these studies show that many students perceive scientists as an old male with eyeglasses, wearing a lab coat, and performing dangerous laboratory experiments. This kind of perception may negatively affect students' understanding of science, their tendency of having a science-related career and becoming a scientist. Students' understanding of how scientific knowledge is constructed and their concepts of nature of science have just been added to the major goals of science and technology education in the last elementary education reform carried out in Turkey. Accordingly, Turkish elementary school students (K-8) first need to have an accurate image of scientists in order to acheive these new educational goals.