Pre-service science teachers' construction and interpretation of graphs

Abstract

Data and graphic analysis and interpretation are important parts of science process skills and science curriculum. So it refers to visual display of data using relevant graphical representations. One of the tools used in science courses is graphics for explain the relationship among each of the concepts and therefore it is important to know data analysis, graph construction and interpretation. This study investigates pre-service science teachers’ construction and interpretations of graphs in two different domains: mathematics and physics. Qualitative research methods were used and therefore a purposive sample of 11 pre-service science teachers is engaged in think-aloud interviews while completing the questionnaire that includes eleven open-ended questions, designed by researcher at four different categories. These categories are: recognition as a mathematical graph, Interpretation of the graph, to draw graphs for a given problem and to create a problem on a given graphic. In addition, the pre-service science teachers were asked in which questions they experienced difficulties. Content analysis method was used for data analysis. Results showed that pre-service science teachers do not have enough success in interpreting given graph, drawing graph for a given problem and identifying variables in a given scientific problem.