ERIC Number: EJ1230057
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Oct
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1694-609X
EISSN: N/A
The Image of Scientists among Pre-Service Classroom and Child Education Teachers in Jordan
Gheith, Eman; Aljaberi, Nahil M.
International Journal of Instruction, v12 n4 p561-578 Oct 2019
The purpose of this study was three-fold: first, to investigate the image of scientists held by prospective teachers with respect to academic levels (1st year and 4th year); second, to identify sources of their image; third, to identify the most influential scientists from their point of view. The sample consisted of 140 preservice classroom and child education teachers enrolled at University of Petra, Jordan. A questionnaire, the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) and a number of closed- and open-ended questions were used to collect data. Results of this study showed that participants had a balanced image of scientists, offering a positive image of scientists with regard to cognitive characteristics such as intelligence and a rather negative image in affective characteristics such as religion. Results also showed that participants saw the scientist as an elderly male with unkempt hair, and working in a lab. The 4th year students demonstrated a more stereotypical image compared to 1st year students. Findings showed that the substantial sources of their images were the following: Internet, science stories, academic texts, and teachers. The results also showed that 65.7% of participants indicated the absence of scientists in Jordan and that the most influential scientists were Einstein, Newton, Edison and Ibn-Sina.
Descriptors: Scientists, Preservice Teachers, Student Attitudes, Beliefs, Individual Characteristics, Stereotypes, Instructional Program Divisions, Foreign Countries, Freehand Drawing
International Journal of Instruction. Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Education, Eskisehir, 26480, Turkey. e-mail: iji@ogu.edu.tr; Web site: http://www.e-iji.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Jordan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A