Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Science Learning, cilt.5, sa.1, ss.176-192, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
The study aims to determine the subject matter knowledge of Prospective Primary School Teachers (PPSTs) and
analyze their chemical representation levels on crystallization. The study was carried out with descriptive research with a qualitative
approach based on this purpose. The study participants were eighty freshman students studying at the Department of Primary
Education in a state university in the Aegean Region of Turkey. The data were collected using a worksheet containing seven openended
questions regarding the crystallization experiment. The questions were about the solubility of salt in water, the formation of
the salt water and its solubility-temperature graph, the formation of the saturated salt water, and the appearance of particles formed
during crystallization. A worksheet was prepared to determine the chemical representation levels of the PPSTs, and the data were
subjected to document analysis. The researchers conducted a demonstration experiment and an animated video on the extraction of
table salt by crystallization as an activity during the study process. The results indicated that PPSTs' responses related to crystallization
were mainly at the macroscopic level. At the same time, they had great difficulty explaining at the levels of sub-microscopic and
symbolic representations. Moreover, they could not explain the concept of dissolution with scientific expressions and distinguish the
mixtures from each other. Additionally, most prospective teachers could not draw the correct solubility-temperature graph, so they
had difficulty in symbolic representations. The study results imply that to raise the quality of science education in Turkey, PPSTs
must attend a quality teaching of science, so primary school students acquire scientifically accurate knowledge of the basic science
subjects and concepts such as dissolution, solubility, and crystallization.