Developing and improving students` scientific creativity in the science education became more important these days. Here, 5 periods of the teaching programs regarding plant tropic responses based on the strategy of Creative Problem Solving(CPS) model ...
Developing and improving students` scientific creativity in the science education became more important these days. Here, 5 periods of the teaching programs regarding plant tropic responses based on the strategy of Creative Problem Solving(CPS) model in life science had been developed. They included knowledge of the concepts and scientists` problem solving process. Each period of the teaching programs was made up of plant movement, plant phototropism and gravitropism. For the phototropism, Arabidopsis thaliana wild type, nph3 and nph4 mutants were used, while wild type, pgm-1 and pin-2 mutants were used for the gravitropism. The developed teaching programs were applied to 16 pre-service teachers majoring in biology education. Effects of these programs in improving pre-service teachers` CPS ability were determined by a test of CPS in life science. Preservice teachers` understanding of concepts was measured by an achievement test in plant tropic responses. Qualitative analysis regarding CPS process based on CPS steps was conducted by analyzing the performance work sheets of the pre-service teachers and the results were as follows: The fluency and the originality of CPS ability in life science was significantly improved by the preservice teachers who were introduced with the developed teaching program. Pre-service teachers` understanding of the concepts in plant movement, auxin, plant phototropism and gravitropism were significantly improved. Based on the qualitative analysis of the work sheets, the pre-service teachers with the improved CPS ability showed that their diverse and elaborate ideas during CPS steps. Most pre-service teachers affirmatively answered that the developed teaching programs were applicable of CPS strategy and useful to study plant tropic responses. These teaching programs could be put into practice when they are complemented as the educational programs for the general high school students as well as science gifted students.