Author(s)

Nathaniel A. Omilani, Mabel I. Idika

Department of Science and Technology Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

This study investigated the reasoning of pre-service integrated science teachers when they categorized matter into elements and compounds. The study adopted a mixed research design. The sample of the survey is 85 Pre-Service Integrated Science Teachers (PSIST) selected using a multistage samplingtechnique from a federal college of education. The instrument for data collection was the Pre-service Integrated Science Teachers Nature of Matter of Test (PSTNMT). The study raised two research questions and tested one hypothesis. The data collected were analyzed using simple frequency counts, analysis of variance and content analysis of responses. The findings of this study indicate that many of the PSIST adopted heuristic reasoning when categorizing matter into elements and compounds. Based on the results of this study, appropriate recommendations were made.

Reasoning, Pre-Service Integrated Science Teachers, Matter, Elements, Compounds

Omilani, N. and Idika, M. (2020) An Investigation into the Reasoning of Pre-Service Integrated Science Teachers When Classifying Matter into Elements and Compounds. Creative Education, 11, 2512-2522. doi: 10.4236/ce.2020.1112184.