Identiying the skills of classrom teacher candidates in identification and control of variables by using various assessment tools

The purpose of this study is: i) to identify the skills of classroom teacher candidates in determining and control of variables by using 2 different assessment tools and ii) to examine the effect of assessment tools in evaluating these skills. 101 classroom teacher candidates participated in the study. Scientific Operation Skill Test (Test-1) with multi-selective questions and Test of Scientific Processing Skills For Teachers (Test-2) with an open ended structure depending on a scenario were used as data collection tools. According to the findings obtained from these two tests, most of the teacher candidates wrongly chose and identified the variables that were controlled. Also there were big differences between the ratio of candidates that answered correctly about the dependent and independent variables and the candidates that answered correctly about hypothesis building skills. One of the important findings of the study is that various assessment tools are found to be effective factors in the success of understanding about identification and control skills related to the variables (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved