Pre-service instructors’ application of self-directive approach in physics problem solving: Effects of gender and educational achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent which pre-service teachers use self -regulation
strategies when solving physics problems, to establish the effects that gender and academic
achievement have on the use of self-regulation strategies and to examine the factors determining the
cases in which pre-service teachers use these strategies qualitatively. The research data were collected
by “self-regulation strategies scale” and semi-structured interview methods were used. A total of 482
pre-service teachers who enrolled in the General Physics class in the Buca Education Faculty of Dokuz
Eylül University, were involved in this research. In the quantitative analysis of the data, descriptive
statistics and one-way MANOVA and univariate ANOVA were used. In the qualitative analysis,
phenomenographic analysis method was used. The results of the research indicate that there were not
significant differences in pre-service teachers’ use of strategies according to their gender; however, in
the planning aspect some differences occur. There were statistically significant differences between the
groups according to the academic achievement variable. Furthermore, the data obtained from the
results of the interviews and the factors that determine the pre-service teachers’ use of strategies were
discussed due to the importance of the self-regulation strategies in solving physics problems and the
necessity of teaching them.