Computer education in Turkish basic education schools: gaps between policy and practice

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of computer education in Turkish basic education schools by exploring the perceptions of computer teachers in terms of the policy of new computer education curriculum, which was prepared in 2006, and its actual implementations in schools. In the study, a mixed method research approach including both quantitative and qualitative traditions is employed as the primary research method. The results reveal that with the introduction of new computer education curriculum, many problems have emerged in the actual implementations of computer education courses in basic education schools. The most important of these problems are results of the elective status of computer education course and the limited time allocated for this course. 24 SUMMARY Purpose and Significance: The purpose of this study is to investigate the current status of computer education in Turkish basic education schools by exploring the perceptions of computer teachers in terms of the policy of new computer education curriculum, which was prepared in 2006, and its actual implementations in schools. The primary aim of the study is to develop a deeper understanding about what kind of effects the new computer education curriculum has upon the basic education school computer teachers and students, and their perceptions about the effectiveness of the new curriculum. The second aim is to criticize the main barriers and enablers in computer education by comparing the policy of computer education with the existing school practice.