Modified guided-discovery methods in physics laboratories: Pre-service teachers' conceptual and procedural knowledge, views of nature of science, and motivation

Although laboratory work is considered a significant factor in helping students develop their science process skills and cultivate alternative knowledge construction, there are still gaps in the selection, integration, and implementation of the basic elements in physics laboratories. In this study, three modified guided discovery and conventional methods in integration with different forms of laboratories, the explicit approach of process skills, and the implicit approach to the nature of science were implemented. This study aimed to explore pre-service teachers' views towards nature of science (NOS), pedagogical and forms of laboratory orientation, practice of science process skills (PS), and motivation. The groups were also compared in terms of the dependent and selected covariate variables. This study employed a tandem design Phase III with a quasi-experimental approach. Purposive and random sampling were used to select study participants. It was found that pre-service physics teachers had naive views towards NOS and PS before and after the intervention. However, after the intervention, there were changes in pedagogy and forms of laboratory orientation, PS practice, and motivation. The groups were also significantly different in conceptual and procedural knowledge and motivation, but similar in views of NOS. In addition, the groups were not significant for covariate variables. Generally, this study indicates that modified guided-discovery methods in physics laboratories have made differences in procedural and conceptual knowledge, motivation, and practicing process skills. It was suggested that physics teachers and physics laboratory curricula employ a variety of learning models and integrate basic components to assist and improve students' learning.