Examination of preschool education curriculum and teachers in terms of 21st century skills: A mixed method research

This research aimed to examination of preschool education curriculum and teachers in terms of 21st century skills for this purpose, sequential explanatory mixed method design, one of the mixed research methods, was used in the research. The research was conducted in Aydın, Artvin, Bayburt, Bursa, İstanbul and Rize provinces in the 2023-2024 academic year. In the research, criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used. In determining the sample in the quantitative dimension of the research, the presence of preschool administrators and teachers working in kindergartens and public special education practice kindergartens in Aydın, Artvin, Bayburt, Bursa, Istanbul and Rize provinces was taken as a criterion, and a total of 220 participants constituted the sample group. In determining the participants in the qualitative dimension of the research, a total of 6 academicians working in public universities in the 2024 academic year and studying 21st century skills in preschool constituted the study group. The quantitative data of the study were collected by applying the 'Multidimensional 21st Century Skills Scale' to preschool school administrators and teachers in the sample group of the study. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using IBM 24 SPSS program. Interview forms were prepared for the academician group in the study group. The data of the study were collected through a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed by descriptive content analysis method. In the study, it was determined that male participants had higher information and technology literacy skills, problem solving skills, entrepreneurship and innovation skills, responsibility and leadership skills, and career awareness than female participants. Entrepreneurship and innovation skill levels of the employees of preschool education institutions differed according to professional seniority. Master's degree graduates had higher levels of information and technology literacy skills, entrepreneurship and innovation skills and career awareness than bachelor's degree graduates. As the information and technology literacy skill levels of the employees of preschool education institutions increased, their entrepreneurship and innovation skills, responsibility and leadership skills and career awareness also increased; as their problem-solving skill levels increased, their entrepreneurship and innovation skills, responsibility and leadership skills and career awareness levels also increased. As the entrepreneurship and innovation skills of the employees of preschool education institutions increased, their responsibility and leadership skills and career awareness also increased; as their responsibility and leadership skills increased, their career awareness levels also increased. In this study, it was determined that the learning outcomes of the 2013 preschool program could not provide intellectual development and self-care skills, learning environments should be improved, and critical thinking and reasoning activities, arrangements according to the age level, activities to develop creativity and imagination, and experiments and outdoor activities should be added to learning environments. In the context of the research results, it was suggested that pre-school educators should be trained to be equipped with 21st century skills through pre-service and in-service trainings, and the pre-school program should be updated by supporting it with the current 21st century skills in education.