Digital Storytelling as a Tool for Enhancing Preservice Chemistry Teachers' Conceptual Understanding and Learning Strategies

Introduction

The rapid change of information and technology in today’s world causes acquired knowledge to become obsolete and quickly lose its validity. This situation requires lifelong learning for individuals, as information is considered to be the greatest power in the information age. Therefore, it is important for individuals to develop researcher identities and use information and communication technologies (ICTs) effectively. Skills such as collaboration, responsibility, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, effective use of ICTs, and research skills have become indispensable for individuals in the 21st century (Geisinger, 2016; Trilling & Fadel, 2009). Considering that students in education faculties should be models for future students as future teachers, the importance of being researchers and designing technology-supported learning environments is emphasized. Teachers should set an example for students with their researcher identities and ICT use skills. Teachers who effectively design technology-supported teaching practices will be more successful in raising students who have a positive attitude towards technology and use technology well.

Learning environments based on constructivist learning theory, where learners construct their own knowledge and teachers guide them, are preferred in recent years to achieve meaningful learning. In these environments, learners take responsibility for their own learning, and knowledge is not directly transmitted to students. Traditional teaching methods, on the other hand, are carried out in a way that does not take into account the prior knowledge of students and relies on memorization. In order to make learning-teaching environments more effective, different learning methods are tried in research studies. In these methods, the principle of student activity is important. Student performance will be negatively affected in environments where students are passive. Therefore, it is necessary to try learning methods that allow students to be more active and show maximum performance. Especially, one of the biggest factors that cause our students’ failure is the teaching practices carried out with traditional methods. In Türkiye, the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), has renewed primary and secondary education curricula based on constructivist learning theory since 2005. However, only content change will not be enough for students to be more active and show maximum performance. These changes should also include learning and teaching processes along with curricula. In today’s world, which is called the digital age, it is mandatory to create learning environments that are enriched with social, participatory, and multi-environments in class processes for students to have effective learning experiences (McLoughlin & Lee, 2010).