Pre-service science teachers' level of laboratory techniques knowledge, in primary schools

The goal of this study is to investigate pre-service science teachers' knowledge of laboratory techniques and their views on laboratory safety. The investigation follows a survey model and includes 209 pre-service teachers enrolled during the 2018-2019 academik year: 79 from Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University and 130 from Hacettepe University, both in their 3rd and 4th years in Science Teaching programs. Data were collected using a 'Survey Form Concerning Views on Laboratory Security' and a 'Test on Techniques of Laboratory Use.' SPSS 26.0 and TAP were used for data analysis. The pre-service teachers scored an average of 20.78 out of 45 on the test: 27 answered 27-38 questions correctly, 153 answered 15-26, and 29 answered only 4-15 correctly. No significant differences were found between the institutions. The survey revealed that 84.2% of the participants understood the importance of laboratory safety, but 58.4% were only partially familiar with warning signs, and 80.3% lacked sufficient knowledge of first aid. Moreover, 70.8% expressed nervousness about potential accidents, which could impact their laboratory usage.