What do the prospective science teachers know about human eye?

In this study, to investigate the PSTs’ understanding on human eye were benefited from probing understanding methods and techniques which are both traditional open ended questions and contemporary the WAT, two tiered test, drawings technique and interview about concepts. To provide the validity of the data collection tools was consulted to the expert views. The pilot study was conducted to 10 PSTs for the validity of the data collection tools. Also the triangulation of methods was used for the validity of the data (Cohen & Manion, 1994). Furthermore quotations from the PSTs’ answers were presented in the findings.

One of the techniques is the WAT which is used to determine of the students' cognitive structure and between these concepts bonds, in other words networks of the PSTs to display and whether relationships between concepts is sufficient in the long-term memory also whether it is meaningful to determine (White & Gunstone, 1992; Bahar, Johnstone & Sutcliffe, 1999; Sezen & Çimer, 2009). The firstly, the WAT was applied to the sample of this study. After than respectively; open-ended questions, drawing questions, two-tiered test and the interview about concepts questions were applied:

Before the application of the WAT has been described to teachers and a pilot application has been made. After than the papers which are human eye concept is written 15 times sub-sub was given to PSTs. Writing of themselves words evoking “human eye” word were asked to the PSTs.
The WAT was used to determine words of the PSTs related to human eye. Following four keywords were asked to the PSTs: “human eye”, “human eye defects”, “its treatments” and “the vision”. The each of the words was completed in 30 seconds by the PSTs. After the PSTs completed their sentences related to their words.
The secondly, the PSTs completed 15 open ended questions on the structure of human eye, 11 open ended questions about human eye defects. The thirdly, the PSTs completed 2 drawing questions related to human eye defects (hypermetropia and myopia) and 2 drawing questions related with its treatments and 1 two-tiered and drawing questions with vision in the lens and mirror. Two tiered question was selected from previous study done (Chen, Lin & Lin, 2002; cited by. Şahin, İpek & Ayas, 2008) and then adapted by Şahin, İpek and Ayas (2008) for a Turkish context.
The PSTs completed the open ended, drawing and two tiered questions in 40 minutes.
After reviewing of the PSTs’ drawings, were interviewed about the concepts with 10 PSTs who have true, alternative drawings and no drawings. After the PSTs experienced mammalian eye dissection, interviewed about the concepts with 10 PSTs. The PSTs examined the structure of human eye, but the knowledge about human eye defects and its treatments were not given to the PSTs. The interview about concepts questions were carried out at 15-20 minutes with each of the PSTs. In the interview about concepts, human eye defects, the cause of human eye defects, its treatments, learning difficulties and suggestions for facilitating learning of the PSTs were asked to the PSTs.