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Asia-Pacific
Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 7, Issue 2, Article 9
(Dec., 2006) Emine Selcen DARÇIN & Lütfullah TÜRKMEN A study of prospective Turkish science teachers’ knowledge at the popular biotechnological issues
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Implications for Education
Since 1950’s, new explorations on the genetic materials of living organisms have opened new application ways on the biotechnology area so that biotechnology and genetic engineering have become one of the most challenging areas for the coming century in scientific and technical studies. Even in our daily life we can observe many samples and influences of biotechnological applications, such as GM foods.
As a result, it is impossible to be away from those subjects covering biotechnological contents in school science curriculums and teaching programs. Lately, science, technology and society approaches gradually have influences on science teaching programs. The effects of biotechnology as well as other technological applications have begun to be widely discussed in schools. School science curriculum programs should clearly show the importance of biotechnological applications for humanity and put extra emphasize some common misunderstandings and misconceptions on biotechnology. Additionally, in service science and biology teachers as well as teacher candidates in science and biology area should have the capacity to understand biotechnological concepts and to inform their students in biotechnological applications and issues.
This study shows that even undergraduate science education major students in Turkish context seem to have inadequate knowledge on biotechnological concepts and applications. Therefore, science teaching programs in Turkey should put extra emphasize biotechnological content areas. The programs covering biotechnology help in-service and pre-service science teachers be aware of the biotechnology.
Copyright (C) 2006 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 7, Issue 2, Article 9 (Dec., 2006). All Rights Reserved.