Science Teachers' Awareness of 21st Century Skills and Their Integration into Their Lessons

Abstract

21st-century skills are essential skills that need to be taught to individuals of our age. These skills will only gain meaning when integrated into school courses and taught to students. Students will transfer the skills they integrate with the content of the courses to their future lives and, therefore, to social life. The content and nature of the science course are essential in teaching 21st-century skills. In this study, science teachers' awareness regarding 21st-century skills was determined in depth with a phenomenological approach by focusing on their experiences. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six science teachers who teach in Istanbul's district with a relatively low socio-economic and socio-cultural level. In line with the findings obtained, it was observed that the participants agreed on the importance of 21st-century skills and the necessity of integrating them into their courses. The skills teachers stated as 21st-century skills included information and communication technology and science literacy, critical thinking and creative thinking from high-level thinking, active learning, and academic skills from learning skills. The teachers did not mention language and communication skills, social and emotional skills, self-skills, and study skills, which are considered 21st-century skills. In line with the research results, it is recommended that concrete examples and practical in-service training be increased so that science teachers can integrate 21st-century skills into their lessons in a qualified manner.

Keywords

• science teachers
• phenomenology
• 21st century skills
• inclusive 21st century model

Fen Bilimleri Öğretmenlerinin 21. Yüzyıl Becerileri ile ilgili Farkındalıkları ve Derslerinde Ele Alma Durumları

Abstract

21.yy. becerileri, çağımız bireylerine kazandırılması gereken önemli becerilerdir. Bu beceriler okullarda derslerle bütünleştirilerek öğrencilere kazandırıldığında ancak anlam kazanacaktır. Öğrenciler derslerin konu içerikleri ile bütünleştirdikleri becerileri ileride yaşamlarına ve dolayısıyla toplumsal yaşama aktaracaklardır. Fen Bilimleri dersinin içeriği ve doğası gereği 21.yy. becerilerini kazandırmadaki yeri önemlidir. Bu araştırmada Fen Bilimleri öğretmenlerinin 21.yy. becerileri ile ilgili farkındalıkları, onların deneyimleri konu edinilerek fenomenolojik bir yaklaşımla derinlemesine tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla, İstanbul’da sosyo-ekonomik ve sosyo kültürel açıdan görece düşük seviyede olan bir ilçede fen bilimleri öğretmenliği yapan altı öğretmen ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda, katılımcıların 21.yy. becerilerinin önemi ve dersleriyle bütünleştirmelerinin gerekliliği konusunda hemfikir oldukları görülmüştür. Öğretmenlerin 21.yy. becerileri olarak ifade ettikleri beceriler arasında; okuryazarlık becerilerinden bilgi ve iletişim teknoloji okuryazarlığı ve bilim okuryazarlığı, üst düzey düşünme becerilerinden eleştirel düşünme ve yaratıcı düşünme, öğrenme becerilerinden aktif öğrenme ve akademik beceriler yer almıştır. 21.yy. becerileri olarak kabul edilen dil ve iletişim becerileri, sosyal ve duygusal beceriler, benlik becerileri ve çalışma becerilerine ise öğretmenler tarafından hiç değinilmemiştir. Araştırma sonuçları doğrultusunda fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin 21.yy. becerilerini dersleri ile nitelikli bir şekilde bütünleştirmeleri için somut örneklerin ve uygulamalı hizmet içi eğitimlerin arttırılması önerilmektedir.

Keywords

• fen bilimleri öğretmenleri
• fenomenoloji (olgu bilim)
• 21.yy. becerileri
• kapsayıcı 21.yy. modeli

References

1. Abualrob, M. M. (2019). The role of science teachers in developing the 21st century skills for the elementary school students. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 15(1), Article e02206. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/6368
2. Ahonen, A., & Kinnunen, P. (2015). How do students value the ımportance of twenty-first century skills? Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 59, 395- 412. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2014.904423.
3. Akan, E. & Timur, B. (2023). Examination of 21st century skills and stem practices competency levels of science teachers’. Eurasian Journal of Teacher Education, 3(2), 42-56.
4. Almazroa, H., & Alotaibi, W. (2023). Teaching 21st century skills: understanding the depth and width of the challenges to shape proactive teacher education programmes. Sustainability, 15(9), Article 7365. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097365
5. Alt, D., & Raichel, N. (2020). Enhancing perceived digital literacy skills and creative self-concept through gamified learning environments: Insights from a longitudinal study. International Journal of Educational Research, 101, Article 101561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101561.
6. Aydın Ceran, S. (2021). 21. Yüzyıl becerileri bağlamında fen eğitiminin bugünü ve geleceği: Türkiye perspektifinde bir analiz. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 10 (4), 3191-3218. http://www.itobiad.com/tr/pub/issue/66167/908645
7. Bahri, A., Jamaluddin, A. B., Muharni, A., Fikri, M. J. N., & Arifuddin, M. (2021). The need of science learning to empower high order thinking skills in 21st century. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1899 (2021) 012144, 1-8. doi: 10.1088/17426596/1899/1/012144.
8. Bakhri, S., Tsuroya, N. H., & Pratama, Y. (2023). Development of learning media with quick appninja android-based (guess image & find words) to increase elementary school teachers’ digital literacy. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 9(7), 4879–4884. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i7.3574

9. Barak, M., & Shakhman, L. (2008). Fostering higher‐order thinking in science class: teachers’ reflections. Teachers and Teaching, 14, 191- 208. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540600802006079.
10. Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., & Rumble M. (2012). Defining Twenty-First Century Skills. P. Griffin, B. McGaw, & E. Care (Eds.) in Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills (pp.17-66). Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-2324-5
11. Colwell, J., & Hutchison, A. (2015). Supporting Teachers in Integrating Digital Technology Into Language Arts Instruction to Promote Literacy. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 31, 56- 63. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2014.991813.
12. Değer, T., İnaltekin, T. & Kirman-Bilgin, A. (2023). Investigating the effectiveness of life skills training guide on pre-service science teachers’ development of Professional knowledge regarding entrepreneurship skills. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 15(2), 2325-2353. https://doi.org/10.15354/sief.23.or221.
13. Deveci, İ., & Çepni, S. (2017). The effect of entrepreneurship education modules integrated with science education on the entrepreneurial characterıstics of pre-service science teachers. Social Work, 15, 56-85. https://doi.org/10.13165/SD-17-15-2-04.
14. Doğan, T. & Benzer, S. (2023). Fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin Eğitim Bilişim Ağı’na (EBA) yönelik tutumları. Bayterek Uluslararası Akademik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 6(2), 303-315. doi:10.48174/buaad.1243717
15. Durkaya, F., & Lokumcu, G. (2022). Eğitim bilişim ağının kullanımına yönelik fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin görüşlerinin incelenmesi (Tekirdağ/Çorlu örneği). Fen Bilimleri Öğretimi Dergisi, 10 (2), 466-485. https://doi.org/10.56423/fbod.1178022
16. Emery, C. (2020). Social and Emotional Learning. D. Cook (Ed.), In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies Sage Publications Ltd.
17. Geisinger, K. F. (2016). 21st century skills: What are they and how do we assess them? Applied Measurement inEducation, 29(4), 245–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/08957347.2016.1209207
18. González-Pérez, L. I., & Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2022). Components of education 4.0 in 21st Centuryskills frameworks: Systematic review. Sustainability, 14(3), Article 1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493
19. González-Salamanca, J. C., Agudelo, O. L., & Salinas, J. (2020). Key competences, education for sustainable development and strategies for the development of 21st century skills. A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 12(24), 10366. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410366.
20. Griffin, P., Care, E., & McGaw, B. (2012). The Changing Role of Education and Schools. P. Griffin, B. McGaw, & E. Care (Eds.) in Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills (pp.1-15). Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-2324-5
21. Güler, A., Halıcıoğlu, B. M., & Taşğın, S. (2015). Sosyal Bilimlerde Nitel Araştırma. (2. baskı). Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık.
22. Imran, S., Khan, I., Shaheen, S., Waseem, H., & Ali, A. (2023). Transformation of 21st century science skills:perceptions of secondary school teachers. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 4(3), 267-273. https://doi.org/10.55737/qjssh.819252525
23. İnce, K., Mısır, M. E., Küpeli, M. A., Fırat, A. (2018). 5. Sınıf fen bilimleri dersi yer kabuğunun gizemi ünitesinin öğretiminde STEM temelli yaklaşımın öğrencilerin problem çözme becerisi ve akademik başarısına etkisinin incelenmesi. Journal of STEAM Education, 1(1), 64-78.
24. Joensuu-Salo, S., Peltonen, K., H ̈am ̈al ̈ainen, M., Oikkonen, E., & Raappana, A. (2020). Entrepreneurial teachers do make a difference – or do they? Industry and Higher Education, 35(4), 536–546. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422220983236
25. Kerans, G., & Ngongo, K. P. (2021). Development of collaborative learning models in improving student social skills in biology science. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 7(3), 357-363. 363. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v7i3.724
26. Kulikova, T. A., Poddubnaya, N. A., Bagdasaryan, L. S., & Ardeev, A. H. (2020). The technique for future teachers’ digital literacy development. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1691, No. 1, p. 012129). IOP Publishing. . https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1691/1/012129
27. Lavi, R., Tal, M., & Dori, Y. J. (2021). Perceptions of STEM alumni and students on developing 21st century skills through methods of teaching and learning. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70, Article 101002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101002
28. Mahmud, M. M., & Wong, S. F. (2022). Digital age: The importance of 21st century skills among the undergraduates. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.950553
29. Mbanefo, M., & Ebokab, O. (2017). Acquisition of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Skills in Basic Science Education for Job Creation in Nigeria. Science Education İnternational, 28, 207-213.
30. Merriam, S. B. (2013). Nitel araştırma. (Çev. Ed. S. Turan), Ankara: Nobel Yayıncılık.
31. Mert, M. K. & Güneş, P. (2018). Fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin akıllı tahta kullanımına ilişkin görüşleri. Anadolu Öğretmen Dergisi, 2(1), 35-47.
32. Mulyani, A., Indriyanti, D.R., & Madnasri, S. (2023). Research trend of 21st century skills in science education through bibliometrics. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Indonesia (Indonesian Journal of Science Education), 11(4), 897-916. https://doi.org/10.24815/jpsi.v11i4.32527.
33. Nahar, L. (2023). The effects of standardized tests on ıncorporating 21 st century skills in science classrooms. Integrated Science Education Journal, 4(2), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.37251/isej.v4i2.324
34. Öztuna-Kaplan, A. (2020). Disiplinlerarası Beceriler-Yaşam Becerileri. M. Genç &H.Ö. Arslan (Ed.), Fen Eğitiminde Disiplinlerarası Yaklaşımlar ve Uygulamaları içinde (23-48). Ankara: Nobel Yayıncılık.
35. P21 (2015) Framework Definitions. https://static.battelleforkids.org/documents/p21/P21_Framework_Definitions_New_Logo_2015_9pgs.pdf
36. Parker, J., Asare, I., Badu, C., & Ossei-Anto, T. A. (2022). Examining the use of 21st-century teaching skills in basic school science classrooms. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 3(4), 28–31. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejedu.2022.3.4.393
37. Shadiev, R., & Wang, X. (2022). A review of research on technology-supported language learning and 21st century skills. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 897689.
38. So, W., & Ching, N. (2011). Creating a Collaborative Science Learning Environment for Science Inquiry at the Primary Level. Asia-pacific Education Researcher, 20, 1-1.
39. Stehle, S., & Peters-Burton, E. (2019). Developing student 21st Century skills in selected exemplary inclusive STEM high schools. International Journal of STEM Education, 6, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0192-1.
40. Taş, Y., Vural, S., & Öztekin, C. (2014). A Study of Science Teachers' Homework Practices. Research in Education, 91, 45- 64. https://doi.org/10.7227/RIE.91.1.5.
41. Van Laar, E., Van Deursen, A.J., Van Dijk, J.A., De Haan, J., 2017. The relation between 21st-century skills and digital skills–A systematic literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 577–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.03.010.
42. Yıldırım, R., Utkugün, C., & Yurtseven, R. (2022). Teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy in teaching 21st-century skills, E-International Journal of Educational Research, 13(6), 28-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19160/e-ijer.1159560