2. Method
2.1. Purpose of the Research
The purpose of the research was to investigate the effects of the problem-based learning on the teacher
candidates’ success in physics course.
2.2. Sub-Problem
Does problem-based learning make any significant difference in the teacher candidates’ physics achievements?
2.3. Limitations
This study is restricted to 44 second grade students enrolled at Dokuz Eylül University, Mathematics Education
Department. The Unit of “Current and Resistance” is chosen for the research, and the duration is limited up to four
weeks.
2.4. Participants
Participants of the research consist of 44 teacher candidates from Mathematics Education Department at Dokuz
Eylül University, Buca Education Faculty. These teacher candidates were randomly assigned to experimental group
(20 students) in which problem-based learning was used, and control (24 students) in which conventional teaching
method was used.
2.5. Measurement Tool
In this research, “The Physics Exam” (PE) which was developed by the researchers to determine the teacher
candidates’ physics course achievements related to the Unit of “Current and Resistance” was used. The exam
consists of 5 structured problems and 1 open-ended question totally. 5 structured problems existing within PE were
evaluated by the developed “Problem Solving Grading Scale (PSGS)”. PSGS was arranged in 3 dimensions
(understanding the problem, planning for the solution, and solving) each of which contains their own sub