Evaluation of the Teaching Methods and Techniques Used by Science Teachers in Science Classes

The purpose of this study is to reveal the teaching methods and techniques used by science teachers in their classes and the reasons for their use of these methods and techniques. Explanatory sequential design, one of the mixed methods research designs, was used in the current study. The study group from which the quantitative data of the study were collected consisted of 50 science teachers working in public schools in Muğla province and 600 7th-grade students attending these schools. The study group from which the qualitative data of the study were collected consisted of 15 science teachers working in public schools in Muğla province. In the selection of the participants, the convenience sampling method was used. The data of the study were collected by using the “Science Lesson Method-Technique Determination Teacher Questionnaire”, the “Science Lesson Method-Technique Determination Student Questionnaire” and a “Semi-Structured Teacher Interview Form”. In the analysis of the quantitative data, the SPSS program package was used. The frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation values were calculated for the methods and techniques preferred by the teachers. The qualitative data of the study were analyzed using the content analysis method. As a result of the study, it was found that the most preferred method-technique by the science teachers is the question-answer method, and the least preferred method-technique is the aquarium technique. It was concluded that while the science teachers are choosing their teaching methods and techniques, they pay most attention to class size, objectives and class hours. It was also found that the science teachers prefer traditional methods and techniques more and active methods and techniques less. The reasons why the science teachers prefer traditional methods more include crowded classes, insufficient class hours and their lack of knowledge of some methods and techniques.