Problems with Science and Technology Education in Turkey

Abstract

National and international indicators show that there is a big inadequacy in science and technology education in Turkey as compared to other countries. This important problem affects the young students’ structure of thinking perspective and perceptions of nature in a wrong way. The problems in science and technology education will block creative and critical thinking, curiosity and positive attitudes towards nature. In order to determine attitudes towards science and technology education program and the reasons of low achievement in science education, a questionnaire with 20 items about science and technology lesson, has been prepared and applied to 84 science and technology lesson teacher in elementary schools in two different cities (Adıyaman and Malatya) of Turkey. According to the result of this research, the main problems with science and technology education are insufficient number of science and technology teachers’ taking active role in the preparation of the programs, the insufficient in-service training of the science teacher in the transition state of a new program, the huge numbers of the students in the class, the informational education orienting students towards only exam achievement, the broken link with other lessons (e.g. mathematics program) and insufficient physical conditions of schools (less laboratory opportunities).