Examining the scientific literacy of preschool teachers
Authors
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Gülşah GünşenDepartment of Preschool Education, Education Faculty, Trakya University, Edirne, Türkiye
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Tuğba Kontaş AzaklıDepartment of Preschool Education, Education Faculty, Ordu University, Ordu, Türkiye
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Gülden UyanıkDepartment of Preschool Education, Education Faculty, Marmara University, İstanbul, Türkiye
DOI:
10.58583/EM.4.1.4Keywords:
Scientific literacy, Preschool teacher, Science, Science teaching, Mixed methodAbstract
This study aims to examine the scientific literacy levels and opinions of preschool teachers using a concurrent mixed methods approach. The quantitative study included 481 preschool teachers across Turkey, while the qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 23 teachers. The quantitative results indicated that preschool teachers' scientific literacy levels did not significantly vary based on gender, age, or years of experience. However, significant differences were observed concerning educational level, scientific journal subscriptions, and participation in scientific projects. The qualitative findings revealed that teachers perceive scientific literacy as the ability to understand scientific concepts, apply them in daily life, and foster children’s curiosity. More than half of the teachers did not consider themselves scientifically literate, highlighting a need for professional development in integrating science into early childhood education. The study suggests that enhancing teachers’ scientific literacy could foster children's curiosity and technological integration in preschool settings.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Gülşah Günşen, Tuğba Kontaş Azaklı, Gülden Uyanık
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