Prospective teachers’ professional skill needs: a Q method analysis

Abstract

This study aims to find out the most important professional skill needs for prospective teachers, and whether they have a common view on their professional skill needs. Participants of the study were 36 prospective teachers at a university in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. The data were collected through 36 Q sentences. The results obtained in this study reveal the needs of prospective teachers to develop their professional skills in assessment and evaluation. Also, it was determined in the study that the prospective teachers need to improve themselves the most for the education of students with special needs. Based on the results of this research, assessmentevaluation, teaching technologies and especially special education should be given priority in teacher education programs. Further studies could concentrate on more specific professional skill needs of prospective teachers in the context of these issues.