The purpose of this study is to explore the metaphorical perceptions of science teacher candidates towards teacher and teaching profession. Qualitative research method was used in the study and “phenomenological approach” was employed as the design of the study. The participants of the study are comprised of 102 teacher candidates who pursue science education programs, in the fall term of 2017-2018 academic year, in the department of mathematics and science education of a middle-sized faculty of education in Central Anatolia. As data collection tool, a form consisting of 2 questions was used for the identified concepts. The obtained data were analyzed using content analysis technique, and after the accuracy of the determined metaphors and created the categories were controlled by two faculty members having expertise, the final form of metaphor and the categories were generated. As a result of the analyses, it was found out that teacher candidates generated 40 metaphors for teacher concept and 60 metaphors for teaching profession. Given the data obtained, it has been observed that prospective teachers provided positive metaphors for the concept of teaching and teaching profession.

To achieve the purpose of inquiry learning approaches and models, it is necessary to identify the difficulties encountered because the science teacher candidates have key prescriptions. Therefore, the aim is to reflect fruitful and high level critical views at the end of the process providing them different learning difficulties using different learning models and approaches at every stages. For this purpose, qualitative research method was used in the study conducted with 40 candidates selected from easily accessible case sample among the third-grade students attending the undergraduate program of science teacher education. Open-ended form was prepared as a data collection tool and the data were generated using content analysis. Finally, the answers given by the teacher candidates are thematized as advantages, disadvantages, cognitive domain, skills, affective domain, SETSE dimension, TQF. The codes generated under the themes vary according to the applied model and approach. The nature of science, team work, and discussion culture code were most evident in CMCK. While the STS code was on the forefront in 5E model, the engineering and design skills code was found to be at a high level in STEM implementation.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effect of the nature of science instruction based on direct reflective approach on the level of student’s understanding on the Hess Law and Thermodynamic Laws and on their beliefs about the nature of science. In this study, pretest-posttest control group design was used. The research was carried out with 50 students studying in two different classes in a Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Trabzon. While the experimental group students were taught with activities based on the direct reflective approach, the control group was taught with the traditional approach. Chemistry and Energy Achievement Test and Views of Nature of Science (VNOS-C) interview were used to collect data. The results showed that students have a lot of alternative conceptions about the nature of science and chemistry concepts under investigation and that the experimental group was more successful than the control group.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of professional experience, tolerance, emphaty and reading interests in predicting cognitive flexibilities of physical education teachers. The participants of this study were 397 physical education teachers working at secondary and high schools in Antalya (n=200) and Kayseri (n=197) in 2017-18 school year. The data were collected by “Cognitive Flexibility Inventory”, which was developed by Dennis & Vander Wal (2010) and adapted to Turkish by Sapmaz & Doğan (2013), “Tolerance Scale” developed by Demirci (2017), “Empathy Quotient”, which was developed by Lawrence et al. (2004) and adapted to Turkish by Kaya & Çolakoğlu (2015), and “Reading Interests Scale (RIS)” developed by Dökmen (1994). In data analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to determine relationship between variables and, multiple regression analysis was applied to state the role of professional experience, tolerance, empathy and reading interests with regard to prediction of cognitive flexibility. The results indicate that professional experience, tolerance and empathy predict cognitive flexibility significantly while reading interests do not.

The hospital system is the main consumer of healthcare resources. The purpose of this study is to analyze the dynamics of the activity of the hospital medical institutions in Bulgaria. Material and methods: The development of basic planning indicators of the facilities of the individual groups of hospitals in the period 2012-2015 is monitored. Documentary, statistical methods and economic analysis are used. Results: A major problem for our health care is the excessive increase in the number of hospitals, mainly in the private sector. The number of hospitalized patients is particularly worrying, as it is much higher than in other countries. The use of beds at the end of the period under consideration for the sector remains low. A trend of reduction marks and the turnover of the beds. Conclusions: The rationalization of the supply, efficiency and relevance of hospital services and the resulting reduction in unnecessary hospitalization should be a key element of the reform of the organization and the structural configuration of the healthcare system in the country.