Examination of pre-service classroom teachers' 21st century skills and attitudes towards teaching profession

The aim of this study is to examine the 21st-century skills of pre-service primary school teachers and their attitudes toward the teaching profession, as well as to measure these skills separately and gather opinions about them. This research is significant in terms of investigating teacher candidates' 21stcentury skills with respect to variables such as gender, grade level, and reasons for choosing the profession, and in examining their attitudes toward teaching. The study was conducted using a mixedmethods design that combined both quantitative and qualitative data. In the quantitative dimension, the "Multidimensional 21st Century Skills Scale" and the "Attitude Scale Toward the Teaching Profession" were used. In the qualitative dimension, a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researcher was employed. Quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS program, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis.The study sample consisted of 159 pre-service teachers studying in the Department of Primary Education at Harran University, Bursa Uludağ University, and Gaziantep University during the 2024–2025 academic year. For the qualitative data, nine pre-service teachers were selected from among the participants using the criterion sampling method. The results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between universities in the subdimensions and total scores of the 21st-century skills scale as well as in the total scores of attitudes toward the teaching profession. However, statistically significant differences were found in the total scores of the 21st-century skills scale according to gender, grade level, and reasons for becoming a primary school teacher. Furthermore, positive and significant correlations were identified between subdimensions of 21st-century skills—such as information and technology literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving—and the attitude scale toward the teaching profession. In light of the qualitative findings, it was revealed that pre-service teachers regard possessing 21st-century skills as an inseparable part of the teaching profession.