School Administrators’ Opinions on Providing Freedom of Science in Science High Schools

This study aimed to determine the views of school administrators regarding the provision of freedom of science in science high schools, the challenges they faced in exercising this freedom, and potential solutions to these challenges. The research was conducted using a qualitative research design with a study group consisting of 10 school administrators employed in science high schools. A semi-structured interview form, developed by the researchers, was used to collect the data, while content analysis was performed on the interview data through the MAXQDA analysis software. The school administrators emphasized the importance of school infrastructure, resources, access to educational training, and collaborations to provide teachers and students’ freedom of access to scientific knowledge. Regarding the freedom to conduct scientific research, administrators highlighted having supportive attitudes, as well as their efforts to develop a research culture. Additionally, for the freedom to disseminate scientific knowledge, administrators emphasized both internal and external activities, websites, and/or the use of social media. The primary challenges identified by administrators were insufficient budgets, the exam-oriented educational system, and curriculum intensity. For solutions to these issues, they suggested increasing the budgets allocated for scientific research along with simplifying the curriculum to move away from the exam-focused approach.