International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Operations carried out by Group 3 during the model validation process
Group 3 elicited a linear model by using data of 2009 and 2010. An analysis of the operations conducted by
the pre-service teachers during the validation process demonstrates that they tested their models for the year
2010, tested the result with real data of 2010, and validated the model since they obtained the same result. An
analysis of the video records of this process shows that there were such conversations among students in the
group;
G3-A (Group 3-Pre-service teacher A): So, we will see if our model is correct.
G3-B: Alright, let’s give a value for x. Write 2010.
… Above-mentioned processes are being carried out by G3-A …
G3-B: What’s the result?
G3-A: 4045. Let’s take a look.
G3-B: You see, it is 4045. The model is correct.
When the video records were examined, no data were found as to whether the pre-service teachers picked
2010 by randomly or for a specific reason. In order to determine this, group members were brought together, and
they were asked whether they had a special reason for choosing the year 2010. The pre-service teachers stated
that they elicited the model based on data of 2009 and 2010, validated it based on data of 2009, yet they chose
the year 2010. As seen here, the pre-service teachers have the misconception that they must use the data, which
were previously utilized to elicit the model, to validate the model.
“It is enough to validate a model with a single data” misconception:
Analysis of the pre-service teachers’ model validation process reveals that some of them think that testing the
model with a known data is sufficient to validate the model. The pre-service teachers in the sixth group replied
to the introduction “Test whether the model you have elicited is correct or not by using real data.” as such:
Operations carried out by Group 3 during the model validation process
As in the case of group 3, the pre-service teachers in the sixth group elicited a linear model by using the data
of 2009 and 2010 and stated that the model was correct by considering the year 2011. An analysis of the video
records of this process shows that there were such conversations among students in the group:
G6-A: The pre-service teachers in the sixth group replied to the instruction,
“Test whether the model you have elicited is correct or not by using real
data.”
G6-B: Hmmm… Let’s take a look after giving a value.
G6-C: What value will we give?
G6-B: Does it matter?
After this conversation, the entire group concurred that they can make validation with any value and validated
the model with a single data by choosing the year 2011. As seen here, the pre-service teachers in this group have
the misconception that it is enough to validate a model with a single data.
“Model which does not yield the exact result is wrong” misconception:
Analysis of the pre-service teachers’ model validation process reveals that some of them believe the model is
wrong if the model they have elicited does not exactly yield a known data. The pre-service teachers in the forth
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