7th grade science and technology course teachers? competencies on developing analogy

In teaching complex subjects and abstract concepts in primary school science and technology programs, analogy is an instructional material used frequently. It is determined that using analogy for teaching concept about the subjects of science and technology facilitates learning, helps students to gain positive attitudes towards lessons and raises their interests and motivation. For this reason, it is admitted that analogy is an important technique in teaching concept of science and technology lessons.The aim of this study is to determine the competencies of primary school 7th grade science and technology teachers according to their ideas. The study is limited to ten abstract concepts in primary school 7th grade science and technology teaching program. These are; chemical digestion, hormone, kinetic energy, potential energy, electrical current, resistant, tension, short cycle, chemical bond and ionic bond.The research was administered on sixty-six science and technology teachers who work in public and private primary schools in Elazığ and Diyarbakır cities in 2009-2010 academic year. Research data were developed from 455 analogies that teachers produced about ten concepts determined. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. In quantitative analysis, distribution of analogies which teachers developed were determined according to variables. In qualitative analysis, thematic analyses of the analogies developed by using N-VIVO 8 package program were made and qualification (originality) of these analogies were tried to be designated. Criteria of competency and originality to reach the related attainments and criteria which is parallel to the analogies developed before were used for interpreting the analogies developed by teachers. There were also direct quotations in evaluating the analogies.In the research, these results about the analogies developed by the teachers were attained: Teachers were not able to develop analogies about all of ten concepts determined but they developed analogies the most (n=55) about the resistant concept and the least (n=30) about the tension concept.Four of the analogies concerned with ten concepts developed were quoted from related coursebook and six of them were evaluated originally and semi-originally. Teachers? unabling to develop analogies about certain concepts, their indifferent behaviours in this matter and the direct quotation of certain analogies they developed were evaluated as teachers were partly adequate in developing original analogy.In this research, these results about quantitative evaluation of analogies developed by teachers related to the concepts in 7th grade science and technology teaching program were attained: While the rate of developing analogy per teacher in the research in which sixty-six teachers participated is 6,89; for the participants in Elazığ this number is 5,61 and in Diyarbakır it is 6,6. The rate of analogy per person developed most according to teaching experience belongs to the group who has 21 and over years teaching experience (8,2/participant) and the rate of analogy developed least belongs to the group who has 11-15 years teaching experience (6,18 /participant). According to the type of school the teachers work in, this rate is 7,03 /participant in public schools and 5,7 /participant in private schools.Key Words: Analogy, Analogy in Science and Technology Teaching, Developing Analogy, Teacher and Analogy.