Understanding Brain Functions of Prospective Biology Teachers From An Educational Neuroscience Perspective: A Qualitative Study With A Phenomenological Design

Abstract

: In recent years, educational neuroscience, a new field examining the interaction between neuroscience and education, has gained importance. This field stands out as an approach that aims to utilize neuroscience research to understand brain functioning and learning processes. Biology teacher candidates are the cornerstone of biology education and play a crucial role in not only teaching biology topics to students but also guiding them towards learning and using effective learning strategies. Therefore, the knowledge and understanding of educational neuroscience among prospective biology teachers are of critical importance in understanding factors that influence learning processes and developing instructional strategies. The aim of this research is to examine the level of understanding and misconceptions of brain functions from the perspective of educational neuroscience among biology teacher candidates. The study also aims to identify the knowledge and understanding of prospective biology teachers regarding educational neuroscience and enhance awareness in this field. The research utilized a qualitative research method called phenomenology. The study group consisted of 16 prospective biology teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. Semi-structured interview questions were used as the data collection tool, and the obtained data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings were examined under the categories of "Concept of Educational Neuroscience," "Relationship between Educational Neuroscience and Unhealthy Food Preferences," "Educational Neuroscience and Playing Brain Games," and "Technology Use in Preferred Tasks and Reducing Boredom Threshold." The participants' views regarding the concept of educational neuroscience, its relationship with unhealthy food preferences, the relationship between playing brain games and cognitive development, and the use of technology in preferred tasks to reduce the threshold of boredom were revealed. The results of the research highlight the importance of increasing awareness of educational neuroscience among prospective biology teachers and emphasizing educational neuroscience in teacher training programs. Additionally, it is recommended to develop effective strategies to reduce conceptual misconceptions regarding brain functioning among teacher candidates.