Early Childhood Turkish Children's Attitudes toward Science

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine and describe the attitudes of Turkish early childhood children in science. This study explored the causal factors that influence children's attitudes toward science such as teachers’ years of teaching experiences, frequency of teaching science in a week, and teachers’ teaching style. Turkish children (N=44) who live in the United States and engage in early childhood classroom involved into the study. Preschool teachers who had Turkish children in their classroom completed survey for giving information about their Turkish children experiences in their science teaching activities. The Child’s Attitude Toward Science (CATS) survey which developed by researchers was used while collecting data. The results showed that Turkish children have positive attitudes towards science especially in Life Science Topics. The results also showed that there were statistically significant relationships between Turkish children’s attitudes towards science and their teachers years of teaching experiences and frequency of teaching science in a week. The results also showed that Turkish children’s success in other activities (language, art, math) related with their attitudes towards science. The findings also showed that using text books and hands on activities during science education also had relationship with children’s attitudes towards science.