Scientific Explanation Skills in Pre-Service Biology Teachers
Tri Wahyu Agustina, Wahyuni Handayani, Roprop Latiefatul Millah

Biology Education, Physics Education, Physics Education,
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Abstract

Science explanations play a central role in an individuals^ quest to know and understand the world, to learn, and communicate scientific phenomena. Having students engage in the construction of explanations may enhance students^ understandings of science contents. Visual representations can be used in constructing an explanation. Modern science explanations often include pictures, as well as text. This article investigated pre-service biology teachers^ skills in compiling science explanations in writing and pictures they include in supporting their science explanation. This study involved 15 pre-service biology teachers. A test was constructed to measure their skills in written science explanations. In this test, pre-service biology teachers were asked to explain static electricity concept on the body of living things. To analyze the data we used the structure of a scientific explanation, which comprises three primary components: (a) premise - accepted knowledge that provides the basis of the explanation, (b) reasoning - logical sequences that follow from the premise, and (c) outcome - the phenomenon to be explained. Students^ skill in the reasoning component, as well as in presenting visual representations, are still poor. In general, the scientific explanation skill of the pre-service biology teachers are still in the poor category. This finding support the necessity of developing skill of pre-service biology teachers in written science explanations.

Keywords: science explanations, static electricity concept, the body of living things

Topic: Biology Education