Analyzing the teaching competence of primary school teachers in teaching science, their current needs and spatial conditions

This study aims to investigate the teaching competency, necessity and spatial conditions of primary school teachers in science class. A mixed method that is composed of both qualitative and quantitative research designs is used. The participants are 1413 primary school teachers in İzmir and its districts during education year of 2014-15. While determining the sample, "Sequential Mixed Method (MM) Sampling" is used on the basis of mixed research method. The quantitative data of the research is obtained with "Science Teaching Competency Scale" (STCS) and "Survey of Spatial and Necessity Conditions in Science Teaching" (SSNCST). Also, there were interviews with 63 primary school teachers selected randomly among the participants of the study, using a semi-structured interview form. For the analysis of STCS data, the test of Kruskal Wallis is used apart from descriptive statistics in order to observe the significance of differences according to variables, and also to state the sources of significant differences the test of Mann-Whitney. For the analysis of SSNCST, descriptive statistical analysis is used. In order to see the relations of the variables of STCS and SSNCST, coefficient of correlation is calculated. As to the analysis of the qualitative data, descriptive and content analysis methods are used. Research findings reveal that form teachers are "sufficient" in all scales of science teaching competency, teaching skills and sub-dimensions of method and techniques, and they are also "sufficient" in all science units in terms of competency, teaching skills and field knowledge. Besides, it is determined that the competency of form teachers in science classes do not vary according to gender, graduation faculty and education status but it is stated that there is a significant statistical difference according to the years of experience, graduation department, and the position of the current job. Also, it is stated that there is a positive and significant relation in low levels between science teaching competency and spatial conditions of form teachers [r= .243; p< .01], and there is a moderate relation between their science teaching competency and necessity conditions [r= .336; p< .01].