Investigation of digital qualifications of teachers in science and art centers

The purpose of this study is to examine the digital competencies of teachers working at the Science and Art Center for gifted students. Mixed research method was selected in the study. The sample of the study consists of 879 teachers from 81 provinces in Türkiye. The Digital Competency Scale for Educators by Toker et al. (2021) was conducted to collect quantitative data. As for the qualitative data, the descriptive analysis method was used. The findings of the study revealed that the total scores of the digital competencies scale of the teachers were at the "Expert" level. It was also found that the digital competencies of the teachers did not change based on their gender, age and working time. It has been concluded that teachers, who use digital resources in their classes and exchange ideas with their colleagues, have digital competencies at a high degree. Teachers stated that they mostly use digital resources in their lessons to attract student attention, and they commonly use Canva Web 2.0 tool. It is thought that teachers' high digital competencies can contribute positively to students. This contribution may be in the form of teaching students digital skills and using technological tools effectively. Considering the high digital competencies of teachers that a positive contribution to instructional activities, it is suggested that trainings, instructional resources and strategies should be developed in order to increase the digital competencies.