Investigation of pre-service science teachers' attitudes towards laboratory safety

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the pre-service science teachers' attitudes towards laboratory safety in relation to variables such as gender, the state of participating in laboratory applications during their high school education, grade level and the type of graduated high school. The sampling of the study conducted by using survey method consists of 135 first-year and fourth-year students attending Science Teaching Department of Education Faculty at Mugla Sitki Kocman University in 2012-2013 academic year. Based on the scales presented in the literature, the researchers developed the Scale of Attitudes towards Laboratory Safety. At the end of the study it was concluded that the variables of gender, state of participating in laboratory applications in high school, grade level and graduated high school do not have significant effects on pre-service science teachers' attitudes towards laboratory safety. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.