Investigation of Prospective Teachers’ 21st Century Skills Competency Perceptions Based on Various Variables

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the self-perceived competency of prospective teachers regarding 21st century skills. The study seeks to understand how prospective teachers perceive themselves in terms of the skills they will need to teach and thrive in the rapidly evolving educational landscape that is shaped by globalization and technological advancements. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study utilizes a quantitative method with a descriptive survey model to assess the competency perceptions of 341 prospective teachers’ 21st century skills from a Turkish state university, using random sampling for representativeness. The "21st Century Skills Competency Perception Scale for Teacher Candidates" was employed to collect data, exhibiting high reliability (Cronbach Alpha of 0.98), and data analysis included descriptive statistics, T-tests, and ANOVA to explore differences in skills perception, with the scale's validity and reliability confirmed for the sample group. Findings: The findings indicate that prospective teachers rate their competency in 21st century skills highly, with the greatest confidence in Information, Media, and Technology Skills and the least in Learning and Innovation Skills. Significant gender differences were found, with female candidates reporting higher competency perceptions than males. Age also influenced competency perceptions, with older groups (25-31 and 32+) rating their skills higher than the youngest group (18-24). Furthermore, pedagogic formation graduates rated their competencies higher than their peers from other faculties, indicating that educational advancement correlates with higher self-perceived 21st century skills. Highlights: The research suggests that teacher education programs should focus on strategic development of learning and innovation skills and integration of technology into teaching, with findings indicating that perceptions of competency increase with age and are higher among females and graduates.