Competencies of High School Teachers and Training Needs for Computer Science Education
Yasemin Gülbahar, Fılız Kalelıoğlu · 2017
The computer science discipline is evolving with problems in both technological and pedagogical aspects almost worldwide. With the advent of new technologies and approaches for teaching programming at all ages, many countries including Turkey have revised their computer science curriculum. These revisions have resulted in serious training needs being highlighted for teachers with inadequate competencies to meet the expected learning outcomes. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore; (a) the self-perceived competencies of teachers about the topics in the curriculum, (b) perceptions about programming, programming tools and approaches, and (c) contribution of university education to their teaching profession. The findings revealed that most teachers believe they are not sufficiently competent to be an effective computer science teacher. Related to this finding, most of them especially mentioned their training needs for programming, emerging tools and technologies. Plus more than half of the participants think that the higher education curriculum is inadequate to meet teacher expectations and to create competent teachers.