Investigation of science teacher candidates' technological pedagogical content knowledge self-efficacy developments and attitudes towards technology in the subject of structure of the matter

In this study, it was aimed to examine the technological pedagogical content knowledge self-efficacy developments of teacher candidates about the structure of matter and their attitudes towards technology. This research is a mixed method research. "Pretest-Posttest Single Group Weak Experimental Design" was used in the quantitative dimension of the study, while the qualitative dimension was carried out with a case study. The study group of the research consists of 40 teacher candidates studying in the 3rd grade of the Science Education Department in the fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Six teacher candidates selected through purposive sampling among these teacher candidates constitute the participants of the qualitative part of the study conducted with the case study. In the quantitative dimension of the research, "Structure of Matter Academic Achievement Test" developed by the researcher, "TPACK Self-Efficacy Scale" developed by Balçın and Ergün (2016) and "Attitude Scale towards Technology" developed by Aydın (2013) were used. In the qualitative dimension, teacher candidates identification form, peer assessment form, self-assessment form, TPACK-based observation form and improved teaching observation protocol were used. Statistical analysis of the data obtained from the scales used in the quantitative dimension of the research was made. To determine whether there is a statistically significant difference before and after the application; the t-test for the "Academic Achievement Test on the Structure of Matter", the t-test for the "TPACK Self-efficacy Scale" and the "Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test" for the "Technology Attitude Scale" were conducted. The qualitative data of the study were subjected to descriptive and content analysis considering the theoretical structure of TPACK. At the end of the study, there was a moderately significant difference in favor of the post-test in terms of the academic achievement of the teacher candidates in the education given on the structure of the substance and the micro-teaching practices carried out. In addition, it was observed that these practices had a significant effect in favor of the post-test in terms of teacher candidates' attitudes towards technology and TPACK self-efficacy in the sub-dimensions of TK, PK, TCK, TPK and TPACK, and in the whole TPACK self-efficacy test. Keywords: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Academic Achievement, TPACK Self-Efficacy, Attitude towards Technology, Science Teacher Candidate