مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - The Opinions of ICT Teacher Candidates about Their Profession in Turkey

Abstract :

IT instruction takes place in the elementary and secondary stages of education in Turkey, which comprise a significant portion of the formal education system. This instruction is implemented by teachers assigned by the Ministry of Education. However, these teachers may have been trained in different preservice teacher education programs. That they will work as “ICT teachers” despite studying in departments with different missions affects teacher candidates’ attitudes and behaviors towards their current department and their future profession. This study is a qualitative study of phenomenological design. The probability sampling method of stratified sampling has been used. In line with this method, the study group consisted of 30 teacher candidates studying at Fırat University, Education Faculty, Department of Computer and Instructional Technology Education, and Technical Education Faculty, Department of Electronics and Computer Education. Data were collected by using interviews, questionnaires and surveys with structured (closedended) questions, as well as video recordings with open-ended questions. The video recordings from the interviews were analyzed on the qualitative data analysis program. In this study, teacher candidates mentioned personal qualities, effective communication, being organized, patient and disciplined. ICT teacher candidates described their computer and IT use largely in the categories of strong and weak. While ICT teacher candidates worried about not being able to answer their students’ questions, they emphasized among their professional life expectations that most schools perceive them as technical staff.