Behavioral intention towards laboratory applications in science teaching

The aim of this study is to lay bare the behavioral intentions of pre-service science teachers towards laboratory applications as well as to bring into light what factors shape these intentions. To this end, a questionnaire, developed by the researchers based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB, Ajzen, 1985) was used. The questionnaire consists of an introduction in which there are questions about personal information, and Scales of Attitude, Personal Norm, Perceived Behavior Control related to Behavior, which is one of the components of TPB. 157 pre-service teachers who are students at the departments of chemistry teaching, biology teaching, and science teaching participated in this research. In the evaluation of the data, a Structural Equality Model was formed by using the AMOS program. According to the results of the model, in the behavioral intentions of the pre-service teachers during laboratory applications, their attitudes, their perceived behavior controls, and their personal norm were influential, respectively. The developed model explained the behavioral intentions of the pre-service teachers toward laboratory applications at the rate of 78%. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.