Identifying the Individual Differences Among Students During Learning and Teaching Process by Science Teachers

Abstract

It is important forteachers to know variables such as physical characteristics, intelligence,perception, gender, ability, learning styles, which are individual differencesof the learners. An effective and productive learning-teaching process canbe planned by considering these individual differences of thestudents. Since the learners' own learning speeds and interests vary,these characteristics should be taken into consideration by the teacher. Theaim of this research is to determine how science teachers are bringing out theindividual differences of students during the learning-teachingprocess. Qualitative research method is used in this research and case isdesigned according to phenomenology. According to research findings, halfof interviewed science teachers stated that individual differences areimportant for determining the learning styles of students. Again, half ofthe teachers emphasized that students identify their individual differenceswith the help of tests, homeworks and activities during the teaching andlearning process. Teachers also stated that in order to design thelearning-teaching process appropriate to the individual differences of thelearners, the learners would make active participation in the lesson and theindividual differences could be supported by increasing the experiment andschool trips.