Abstract:

This research was conducted to develop a comprehensive scale of 21st century skills for middle school students. 334 secondary school students (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade) participated in the research. In the first stage of the scale, 63 items were determined by considering theoretical studies and expert opinions. Exploratory factor analysis and t-test for item discrimination power were used to determine the validity of the scale. As a result of the research findings, a scale with 9 factors and 62 items was developed. The scale was developed in a five-point Likert type. The first factor of the scale was “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving”, the second factor was “Social, Responsibility and Adaptation”, the third factor was “collaboration”, the fourth factor was “Media Literacy”, the fifth factor was “Information, Communication and Technology Literacy”, and the sixth factor was “Information, Communication and Technology Literacy”. “Creativity and Innovation” consists of items measuring seventh factor “Entrepreneurship and Self-Management”, eighth factor “Communication” and ninth factor “Leadership” skills. The overall Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was determined as .973. In addition, the Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient of the factors of the scale was determined as .921 for Factor1, .917 for Factor2, .899 for Factor3, .865 for Factor4, .850 for Factor5, .687 for Factor6, .674 for Factor7, .667 for Factor8 and Factor9 .614. In order to determine the discrimination power of the scale items, it was concluded that the discrimination power of the subgroup 27% (90) and the upper group 27% (90) items, which was formed by ordering the raw scores of the scale data from smallest to largest, was statistically significant (p<.01).

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