In this study, it was aimed to examine the critical and creative thinking, multidimensional 21st century skills and the change in academic achievements as a result of technology integration of prospective teachers who have science education in pedagogy fields. Research was carried out in Turkey's western Black Sea region in a state university. 144 prospective teachers, who were educated in the faculty of education and who were in science, classroom and pre-school education departments, participated in the research. The research was carried out in 3 stages. In the first stage, technology integration is not provided. In the second stage, basic and medium level technology integration is provided. In the third stage, advanced technology integration is provided. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used together in the research. Academic success test, critical and creative thinking test developed by the researcher as a means of quantitative data collection, and three different scales with validity and reliability were used previously. In addition, project, exam, homework, presentation and group work scores are included in the process. Semi-structured interview, observation and field notes, document review, were used as qualitative data collection tools. The quantitative data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. While doing these operations, SPSS 23.0 and LISREL 9.2 package programs were used. Qualitative data were subjected to descriptive analysis and content analysis. The results of the research show that gradual integration of technology into the education process provides a positive change in prospective teachers' critical and creative thinking, multi-dimensional 21st century skills and academic achievements.

Today’s individuals are expected to have skills in many areas as a natural consequence of the advances that have been taking place in society and technology. Particularly in developed countries, these skills are also called 21st century skills. Critical, creative and reflective thinking, problem solving and keeping up with the digital age (digital literacy) are some of these skills. Universities play a significant role in raising qualified individuals in our country. Updating the training programs, keeping up with the era and having a say in the digital world makes it a necessity for people who give education in these areas to be competent. From this point of view, this study aimed to explore the digital literacy levels of Turkish academics working in faculties of education and the perceptions of students towards technology integration competence of the academics. In this study, quantitative cross-sectional design was preferred. While selecting the participants, purposeful sampling method was used, and two different participant groups (academics and prospective teachers) were included in the process. Two scales with validity and reliability in the literature were used as data collection tools in the research. In the data collection process, firstly, a survey was administered to academics working in faculties of education, and then another one was conducted with prospective teachers. The results obtained were subjected to quantitative data analysis via SPSS 24 and AMOS 24 software, and descriptive and inferential statistics were generated. The results revealed that the variables of department, age and grade level created a significant difference in the digitalization of academics, whereas the gender variable significantly contributed only to the perceptions of prospective teachers.

This research aims to approach distance education activities and to COVID-19 from a different perspective during the pandemic process. It is seen that many studies in the literature were prepared with a single data collection tool or a limited number of data. In this context, it was thought to bring a different perspective by making data diversification. This research has the ethics committee document issued number 1, dated 25.03.2021, with decision number 96 obtained from the Ethical Board of Kastamonu University. In the research process, one of the basic mixed-method designs, combining (diversification) pattern was used. 865 teachers candidates from 9 different departments and 4 different grade levels, studying in the education faculty of a state university in Turkey in the 2020-2021 academic year, participated in the research. In the research, metaphor application, a word association test, a semi-structured interview and a 20-question scale prepared by the researchers were used as data collection tools. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive, content and inferential statistical methods. As a result of the research, 7 different categories and a total of 153 different metaphors were found out. As a result of the word association test, 6 main concepts and a total of 46 sub-concepts formed. The semi-structured interview and scale results demonstrate that the attitudes of the teacher candidates towards the technical infrastructure, measurement-evaluation, and distance education process are low and that their satisfaction rates are below their expectations.

In this study, in which artificial intelligence applications are examined at the K-12 level, the discussions are multi-dimensional. The use of artificial intelligence applications at the K-12 level, and especially the integrated use of online writing tools into the writing lessons, has led to the occurrence of plagiarism from time to time. In the first place, the fact that artificial intelligence applications create the feeling of being able to think like a human causes student to fully trust this software. What is more, when the subject is approached in terms of educational leadership, teachers' transfer of experience and high level of interaction during teaching and learning decreases. Because artificial intelligence applications individualize the education process and allow students to work more independently from the teacher and from peers. That being said, there are some points that are worth noting here. AI applications should be used as a tool, not an end because when these applications are utilized accountability cannot always be attained. The number of teachers who are already competent in informing and supervising students against malpractices is not sufficient. The fact that teachers are not fully competent in this respect poses a danger to the control and safety of the process. In order for artificial intelligence applications to be exercised effectively at the K-12 level, some software languages and coding skills must be acquired. Lastly, important steps need to be taken towards the future of artificial intelligence applications. Each country should include them in their education systems through their curricula from an early age along with AI applications. In this direction, teacher training programs should also be reviewed. It is of crucial importance to raise the awareness of the society on artificial intelligence, and about ethical rules and morality.

21.yüzyıldaki bilimsel ve teknolojik gelişmeler beraberinde birçok yeniliği ve kolaylığı getirmiş olmasına rağmen insanlar için birtakım olumsuzlukları da getirmektedir. Sanayileşmenin hızlanması, tüketim ve üretimin artması doğal olarak çevresel atıkların ve çevre kirliliğinin de artmasına neden olmaktadır. Bu noktada doğanın korunması ve sürdürülebilirliğin sağlanabilmesi amacıyla çevre duyarlılığı (hassasiyeti) konusuna önem verilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada çevre duyarlılığı kavramına yönelik olarak öğretmen adaylarının metaforik algıları belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sürecinde nitel araştırma yaklaşımlarından olgu bilim (fenomenoloji) deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini fen bilgisi, sosyal bilgiler ve sınıf öğretmenliği bölümünde okuyan 217 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplanırken öğretmen adaylarının “Çevre duyarlılığı…….gibidir/benzer. Çünkü…..” cümlesini tamamlamaları istenilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları incelendiğinde öğretmen adaylarının 7 alt kategoride 104 farklı metafor geliştirdiği belirlenmiştir. Bunlar arasında temiz ev, geleceği düşünmek, hayatı önemsemek, ayna, bilinçli davranmak ve duyarlı olmak en sık kullanılan metaforlar olmuştur. Kişilik özellikleri ve davranış unsuru kategorisi ise en çok metaforun oluşturulduğu kategori olarak belirlenmiştir.