Science and technology student teachers' knowledges, risk perceptions, attitudes about GMO foods and self-efficacy about teaching GMO foods

Socioscientific issues gradually gain importance in daily life and people are expected to make informed decisions regarding these issues. These issues are both controversial and include disagreements between scientists and between society. In the present study, it has been sought to determine preservice Science and Technology teachers?, knowledge about, risk perceptions regarding and attitudes towards GMO foods, who will educate future citizens.Totally 161 participants in year 3 and 4 groups in Teaching Science Department at Ahi Evran University constituted the sample. The study displays the features of quantitative descriptive model. As data collecting tools, it has been made use of `personal information scale?, `Knowledge about GMO foods scale?, `Attitudes towards GMO foods scale?, `Risk perceptions about GMO foods scale?, and `Self-efficacy about teaching GMO foods scale?. In data analysis, percentages and Stepwise regression has been used.The results have displayed that participants are generally well-informed about GMO foods. In addition, they posses high risk perceptions and negative attitudes towards this issue. They have moderate level of perceptions of self-efficacy regarding teaching GMO foods issue. Looking at the predictors of self-efficacy, knowledge and participation of science camps were strong and significant ones.Socioscientific issues and the needs to teach these issues should be included in the education of preservice teachers. Also, the development in academic knowledge, risk perceptions and attitudes should be taken in to account. Lastly, in order that preservice teachers can improve strong self-efficacy regarding teaching these types of issues the environments where the academic knowledge can be enhanced should be created and the importance should be attached to the out-of-school activities such as science camps.