Determination of science teachers and preservice science teachers' awarenes, attitudes and opinions towards STEM

The purpose of this research is the determination of STEM awareness, attitudes and views towards STEM of science teachers and preservice science teachers. In this study, parallel pattern converging from mixed studies was used. In the quantitative dimension of study, the sample consisted of 45 science teachers (29 females and 16 males) working in Burdur province and central villages and 177 teacher candidates (131 females and 46 males) from Education Faculty Science Teacher Department of Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. In the quantitative dimension of the study, the sampling which was created by using the criterion and maximum diversity sampling from the aiming sampling was applied for "STEM Awareness Scale" and "Science Teachers' STEM Proficiency and Attitude Scale". In the qualitative dimension of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 teachers and 25 preservice science teachers who were selected through purposeful sampling and maximum diversity sampling. As a result of the research, it was found that STEM awareness, competencies and attitudes of science teachers and preservice teachers had similarities and positive attitudes, while some teachers and preservice science teachers had inadequate information about STEM and some of them had wrong information about STEM and STEM should be supported both in terms of physical infrastructure and in-service trainings. Key Words : Preservice science teachers, Science teachers, STEM. Number of Pages : 114 Consultant : Associate Professor Doctor Selda BAKIR