IV. International Educational Technology Symposium, ETransition in Education November 24th26th, 2004, Proceedings Vol: II, 11241130, Sakarya, Turkey. THE VIEWS OF A GROUP OF SCIECE / PHYSICS TEACHERS O LABORATORY ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED WITH TECHOLOGY A. Erdem 1 , G. Uzal 2 , Y.Ersoy 3 1,2 TrÜ Tekirdag Vocational School, Tekirdag, Turkey 3 Turkish Physics FoundationAdviser 1 aerdem@trakya.edu.tr 2 guzal@trakya.edu.tr 3 yersoy@metu.edu.tr Abstract: Through a project planned by researchers, a number of pilot studies were initiated in relation to such activities as raising a team of leading teachers and furnishing science/physics teachers with required knowledge and skills. The project was thought to be accomplished by means of some planned experiments, demonstrations, some software applications such as Microsoft Excel, T1Interactive, graphical calculator, CBL and CBR tools in accordance with physics subjects in the syllabus of science/physics subjects in upper elementary and secondary education of Turkish education system. The aim of this study was, prior to the onset of some technology supported laboratory activities arranged for science/physics teachers, to determine the participating teachers' opinions about and to evaluate their opinions according to some variables. From the study carried out within the above mentioned framework, it was concluded that out of 103 science/physics teachers participating in the study from the province of Tekirdağ 13.6% used neither conventional nor new technology, 16.5% used audiovisual devices, 12.6% used OHPs (over head projector), 4.9% used computers, 19.4% used audiovisual devices and OHPs, 27.2% used audiovisual devices, OHPs and computers, 4.9% used OHP and computers, 1% used audiovisual devices and computers in education. Upon analyzing the data gathered, no significant difference was attained between science and physics teachers' personal characteristics (gender, graduating school, experience, specialized field, employing school and institution) and their opinions about laboratory activities. There was also no significant difference between their personal characteristics and their levels of their making use of technology in teaching science. Keywords: Technology supported science and physics experiments, technology literacy, simulation software, professional efficiency of a teacher. 1. ITRODUCTIO One of the main tasks of a qualified and competent teacher is to set up a proper and enriched environment, and guide students to gain fundamental knowledge and advanced thinking skills. Teachers who educate individuals should utilize skills efficiently and produce new knowledge as well. It is however required to endeavor great efforts to train teachers qualified as above, because Turkey, like any other country, does not have this staff as granted. In addition to the preservice education effective training and retraining programs and models should be launched and applied regularly in the sense of lifelong learning. Even though personal endeavor is of great importance in enhancing qualifications of a teacher, he or she is also in need of technological support, a leading trainer and counsel from a specialist. Some services are demanded from universities and training experts. Within this context, the Turkish Physics Foundation ( ) has, for the past few years, implemented a number of inservice education and training (INSET) activities for science and physics teachers and has released some funds on inservice training. The goal of this study was, prior to the onset of some technology supported laboratory activities arranged for science and physics teachers, to determine the participating teachers' opinions about and to evaluate their opinions according to some variables. Subject teachers, surveyed in some studies, stated that they demanded to get to know and utilize new technologies (Üstüner et al. 2002; BaGer et al. 2003; Kaptan et al. 2004). A science and a physics teacher, who can make use of technology supported education, would be able to attract more interest of a student towards science and physics subjects, thereby would be able to help students overcome learning difficulties to some extends. Within this context, through a project planned by researchers, a number of pilot studies were initiated in relation to such activities as raising a team of leading teaching staff and furnishing science and physics teachers with required knowledge and skills. The project was thought to be accomplished by means of some planned experiments, demonstrations, some software applications such as Microsoft Excel, T1Interactive, graphical calculator, CBL and CBR tools in accordance with physics subjects in the syllabus of secondary education and science/physics subjects in upper elementary education. Later, the Likerttype scale, developed by the researchers (Erdem et al. 2004), was applied to the teachers in order to determine their opinions about laboratory activities, technology and science education, outcome of which was some data to be applied to the new activities to be used in inservice education and training (INSET) of teachers. Some sections and interpretation gathered upon analyzing data are reported in this research. There are, as it is known, numerous methods and techniques used in teaching natural sciences in general and physics in particular. After the decision is made, they should be applied in classrooms and schools effectively and properly. The teaching method with laboratories, for instance, means that students learn through a process of proving in experiments the basic knowledge of natural sciences (Çilenti, 1985). The basic philosophy of teaching with laboratories is to experiment some makeup events, observe their outcomes, and report the data, findings and relations. The aims in using laboratories can be stated as follows: To give students experience with the concrete materials in order to make students understand the subjects of natural sciences which are of abstract and complicated features.