• Journal of Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.304-316
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• 2009

This study investigated the change of pre-service science teachers' epistemological views of education according to the stages of the field education programs application. For this study, surveys and interviews were carried out threes times before and after participation through participant observation of classes and teaching practices. All data recorded and collected of 28 pre-service science teachers who had answered entire surveys were transcribed and analyzed. The conclusion is as follows; before the participant observation of classes, the pre-service science teachers had views of traditional education affected by epistemology of objectivism. After the participant observation of classes, the views of traditional education increased due to in-service teachers that showed teaching methods through the course of the participant observation. However, it was changed significantly into the views of modern education affected by epistemology of constructivism through the course of the teaching practices. Based on the conclusions of this study, it was identified that the field education programs might have both positive and negative influence on the change of the views of education for the pre-service science teachers. Therefore, Pre-service science teachers should have a opportunity to intensify of constructivism epistemological views of education through the field education programs. The teacher training institutions have to provide systematic and organic cooperation with schools.