Views of Science and Art Center (SAC) Graduates on SAC

Abstract

In Türkiye, Science and Art Centers (SACs) are the institutions where gifted students receive the most education. The aim of this research is to gather opinions and experiences related to various aspects of SAC, including identification, educational programs, problems, advantages and disadvantages, teachers, family approach, and benefits of being a graduate. In this study, the case study design, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The participant group of the study consists of 12 students who graduated from SAC. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher and analyzed by content analysis method. According to the research results, graduate students emphasized that the selection and placement process for SAC should be based on more scientific grounds. In addition, they stated that SAC’s educational programs have positively contributed to their careers. Students expressed that the support of their families is one of the most important factors for them. However, they also expressed that the physical and material facilities of SAC need to be improved. Researchers are recommended to conduct longitudinal studies on SAC graduate students.