Science and technology teachers’ attitudes towards educational research in Turkey

The survey method was selected; it is frequently used by educational researchers because it produces highly generalizable results (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010, p.233). Data was collected using the “Teacher Attitude Scale towards Educational Research (TASTER)” developed by Ilhan et al. (2013). The research population was drawn from science and technology teachers employed at middle schools in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. All the teachers were invited to participate in the survey on a voluntary basis. The results gathered from 918 science and technology teachers responding to TASTER were analysed (Table I).

Table I. Demographic data of the participants

Gender	n	%
Male	493	53.7
Female	425	46.3
Total	918	100
Years of teaching experience
1-5 years	645	70.3
6-10 years	107	11.7
11-15 years	91	9.9
16-20 years	37	4.0
21-25 years	12	1.3
26 years or more	26	2.8
Total	918	100
Graduated from the Department of
Science and technology Teacher Training	713	77.7
Departments of Education Faculties (Total)	80	8.7
Physics Teacher Training	10
Chemistry Teacher Training	21
Biology Teacher Training	9
Education Institute (Vocational Schools)	25
Other Teacher Training Departments	5
Departments of Other Faculties (Total)	125	13.6
Physics	36
Chemistry	44
Biology	40
Others	5
Total	918	100
Location
City centre	260	28.3
District centre	347	37.8
Town/small town	102	11.1
Village	209	22.8
Total	918	100
Educational status
Vocational degree (2 years)	24	2.6
Undergraduate degree (4 years)	843	91.8
Master’s degree	51	5.6
Total	918	100

Data Analysis

The data obtained from TASTER was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The statistical package for the social sciences was used for this purpose.

The teachers who took part in the survey were grouped according to demographic characteristics. Histogram, Box-plot, and normal Q-Q plots graphs were examined to identify whether the data in these groups showed normal distribution (Buyukozturk, Cokluk Bokeoglu & Koklu, 2012; Field, 2013). The data obtained from demographic data form is given in Table I as frequencies and percent values. Independent-samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyse the research data. The requirement for the ‘Homogeneity of Variance’ was met in all the one-way ANOVA analyses (p > .05). A LSD multiple comparison test was undertaken to determine the differences among the sub-groups and the statistical significance was set as (p < .05).

Data Collection Tools

TASTER used for data collection in the study was developed by Ilhan et al. (2013), and it consists of 3 factors and 20 items The three factors are; ‘necessity of educational research’ (items; 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 20), ‘value of educational research’ (items; 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 16), and ‘applicability of educational research’ (items; 4, 5, 8, 13, 15, 18, 19). In the current study, the Amos 21 data analysis software gave the following index values of the fit statistics formed in the model by confirmatory factor analysis: Ratio of chi square to its degrees of freedom χ² (161, n=918) = 93.21, χ²/df = 3.06; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = .047; Root Mean Square Residuals (RMR) = .030; Standardized Root Mean Square Residuals (SRMR) = .045, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = .95; Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) = .93; Normed Fit Index (NFI) = .92, and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .94. From the examination of the fit indices, it appears that the scale is compatible with the specified model (Brown, 2006; Hu & Bentler, 1999; Kline, 2010; Sumer, 2000). It was determined as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis carried out with Amos 21 program that the scale was composed of 20 items and 3 factors. In the present study, the first factor of the Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of TASTER was calculated as .802, the second factor was .820, and the third factor was .737, with .872 as the coefficient for the whole scale.

To determine the teachers’ levels of attitudes and agreement with the statements in TASTER there were 5 options from totally disagree (1) to totally agree (5). The mean score interval of 1.00 - 2.59 obtained from TASTER indicated negative attitudes, 2.60 - 3.40 indicated moderate attitudes and 3.40 - 5.00 indicated positive attitudes.