Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 9, Issue 2, Article 8 (Dec., 2008) Özlem KORAY, Arzu PRESLEY, Mustafa Serdar KÖKSAL & Muhammet ÖZDEMİR Enhancing problem-solving skills of pre-service elementary school teachers through problem-based learning Previous Contents Next

Conclusion

This research showed that problem-based learning developed problem solving skills of pre-service elementary school teachers while enhancing their communication, group working skills and acquisition of knowledge. Most importantly, these pre-service teachers had the experience of understanding the process. Hence, it is essential that application of problem-based learning be included in pre-service teacher education curriculum. Problem solving skills also are the essential requirement for laboratory studies in science education. The effect of PBL on group working skills and communication , in addition to its effect on problem solving skills, shows its effectiveness for inquiry process in laboratory. Inquiry is important for scientists and the strategies also include group work and good communication skills (Sampson & Clark, 2007, Kaartinen & Kumpulainen, 2002). The process of PBL might use good problem solvers and poor problem solvers to construct groups and to provide effective communication among peers in science laboratories. The mixture of poor and good problem solvers might also provide relative standards for self-evaluation in terms of problem solving skills. Self- evaluation and reflection are the basic ways to improve instruction in science education (Ram, 1999). More hands-on activities occur in science laboratory with the process of PBL than traditional classroom PBL applications. In the lab, PBL may also alleviate knowledge acquisition with group study and reflection.

Since the core characteristic of PBL is student-centeredness, once the problem-solving process begins, the roles of the educators should be facilitation and guidance rather than instruction. During the implementation of PBL, continuous feedback is highly recommended. However, there should be balance between giving students enough feedback and giving them freedom in their projects. Moreover, students may spend quite a bit of time and effort at the beginning, trying to develop their projects, while seeing few results. As Steinemann (2003) suggests, the educators should encourage their students to not get discouraged and to recognize that changes will come, not immediately, but they will come.