Examining the Levels of Science Teachers’ Use of Self-Regulation Strategies in their Lessons: The Example of Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the level of use of self-regulation strategies by science teachers while problem-solving in their lessons according to the variables of gender, education level, and professional exprience. This study was carried out on a total of 800 volunteer science teachers working under the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in Mardin, Batman, Diyarbakir, Siirt, Gaziantep, and Şanliurfa city center and its districts. Descriptive survey method, which is one of the quantitative research approaches, was used in the study. The data of the research were collected with the “Scale of Self-regulation Strategies Used in Problem-Solving.” The scale used was subjected to factor analysis after being applied to our own sample. After this procedure, Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed using the AMOS program. As a result of the data analysis, it was seen that the fit indices were within the limits determined by the literature. SPSS package program was used in the analysis of the research data. Since the data showed normal distribution, independent group’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used for analysis. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that science teachers in the Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region sample frequently used more than one self-regulation strategies while solving problems, and there was no statistically significant difference between their use of self-regulation strategies in problem-solving according to their education level, professional experience, and gender variability (p > 0.05). To obtain clearer results, it is recommended to study on large samples and to triangulate using qualitative methods such as interviews and classroom observations.