Developing the question preparation skills of science teachers to measure high level: A model proposal

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of the training program developed and applied for science teachers on the question-writing competencies that measure teachers' higher-order thinking skills and to evaluate the development of these skills. The research was carried out in accordance with the sequential explanatory model with mixed approach. 25 science teachers working in Çorum province participated in the research in the 2020-2021 academic year. In this study, three different data collection tools were used: the question development self-efficacy scale, which measures the high-level learning level of science teachers, the semi-structured interview form, and the question evaluation checklist, which measures the higher-order thinking skills. Within the scope of the research, "Training Program for Measuring Higher Level Thinking Skills" was organized for participating teachers. After the training program, a question preparation study measuring higher-order thinking skills was conducted with the teachers. As a result of the research, it was determined that there was a significant increase in teachers' self-efficacy, there was a positive change in their views, and the rate of questions measuring higher-order thinking skills in the questions they prepared was quite high compared to the national and international literature. Numerous suggestions were presented at the end of the research. The most important of these are: providing practical trainings on the measurement of question-writing and higher-order thinking skills for prospective teachers and on-duty teachers, preparing the infrastructure for the use of different types of questions in the central exams, including open-ended questions, conducting the training program online, and more long-term application recommendations.