Abstract :
In this study, with the help of descriptive research method; goals and content of the 2005 Turkish Science and Technology Curriculum was compared with curricula of Finland, Canada, New Zeland, Ireland and USA (New Jersey, Massachusetts) that achieved better scores than the world average in TIMMS exams (1999). In the analysis of programs it is identified that goals related to scientific skills and the nature of science and tecnology were included by all countries. Turkish Science and Technology Curriculum does not include the goals related to health in Curriculum of Finland, sustainable life in Curriculum of Ireland and mathematical practices in the Province of New Jersey’s Curriculum USA. In terms of content it is identified that subjects about “Living Things” and “Matter” were included by all countries. In Curriculum of Finland there is a separate course for environment, in Ireland and Province of New Jersey USA Curriculum, there is a separate theme for Environment, however in Turkey, there is not another theme for Environment except the unit called “Human and Environment” covered at 7th grade. In Turkish Curriculum, health education was planned as humanistic discipline called “Culture of Health” and mainly distributed to Science and Technology courses. In addition, curricula of countries analysed in this study shows that subjects that aims to gain skills were also considered in all of them. The curricula of countries analysed in this study have common features in terms of goals and content, however, it was identified that Turkish Curriculum has deficiencies about subjects of Environment and Health. Science courses make up 8 % of weekly course schedule in Turkey, 11- 14% in Finland and 9-15% in Canada. Even though the duration of time for each unit is extensively stated in curriculum of Turkey, it is not stated in other countries’ curricula.
