Determining the impact of robotics coding applications designed according to STEM education on pre-service teachers' STEM self-efficacy, critical thinking, and computational thinking tendencies

STEM practices are gaining increasing attention as an effective educational approach that encompasses 21st century skills and offers significant benefits to teachers and students, especially in science education. STEM education prepares individuals for the future world of science and technology by contributing to the development of self-efficacy such as critical thinking skills and computational thinking tendencies. In this dissertation study, it was aimed to examine the effects of robotic coding applications suitable for STEM education on pre-service teachers' STEM self-efficacy, to determine their effects on pre-service teachers' critical thinking skills, and to analyze how they affect pre-service teachers' computational thinking dispositions. The method of the study is a quantitative research method and a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was used. In the quantitative phase of the study, criterion sampling, which is one of the appropriate sampling and purposive sampling methods, was preferred in forming the experimental and control groups. Accordingly, 20 science teacher candidates were included in each group. The "Computational Thinking Scale", "Marmara Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale" and "STEM Applications Pre-service Teachers Self-Efficacy Scale" were used as quantitative data collection instruments. Robotics and coding based STEM activities were carried out with pre-service teachers in the experimental group. The applications lasted for 8 weeks in the experimental group. Data collection instruments were administered to both groups as pre- and post-tests before and after the applications. The results of the research were subjected to quantitative data analysis and evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings show that pre-service teachers have generally positive views of STEM. Furthermore, it was found that robotics coding activities designed in line with STEM education contributed positively to pre-service teachers' attitudes towards robotics and coding. These practices were also found to have a positive impact on pre-service teachers' critical thinking, computational thinking and STEM self-efficacy.