Ideas of prospective science teacher to the vocational training suffiency of of education technology standards

The developments experienced in our age, called information age, resulted in the integration of the technological elements into the educational activities carried out. In this study, it is aimed to examine how candidate science teachers evaluate the vocational education they receive with regard to national and international education technology standards employing various variables and determine the reasons they state to justify their evaluations. A survey model is employed to conduct the research qualitatively. Two different data collection tools were used, Self- Efficacy in Field- specific Technology Evaluation Form and Vocational Training Evaluation based on of NETS-T (National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers) framework developed by the researcher. The data were collected from 204 candidate teachers studying in the Science Teacher Training Program of a state university operating in the Western Black Sea region during the spring semester of the 2015-2016 academic year. The results show that participants view themselves 'sufficient' in Self- Efficacy in Field- specific Technology. When other variables – gender, year and academic achievement- are considered, results range in favor of female students, the competency ratio of the participants in the third year is higher when compared to the competency ratio of participants in other years and the academic achievement do not affect the evaluation of Self- Efficacy in Field- specific Technology. When we look at the distributions of vocational education evaluations related to the NETS-T standards, it is concluded that the highest ratio is in the dimension of "Model digital age work and learning". As for the other NETS-T dimensions, a little more than half or half of the participants consider the vocational education that they have is adequate. When 'Being a Role Model for Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age' is examined closely, it is observed that male and female participants show a similar tendency in the distribution of vocational education evaluation in terms of NETS-T dimensions. There is no significant distribution across different year students. When the level of academic achievement is examined, it is found that very successful participants have a higher adequacy ratio in all NETS-T dimensions compared to successful participants. In addition, the results of the research have shown that participants who view themselves sufficient in the evaluation of Self- Efficacy in Field- specific Technology, do not find vocational training based on NETS-T standards fully adequate. Participants who find vocational training based on NETS-T sufficient mostly relate it to their personal skills and abilities; however, those who find it insufficient attribute it to the lack of vocational training or the inadequacy of the training. Some suggestions have been made to researchers and practitioners regarding these results obtained within the scope of the study.