Science Student Teachers at Special Education Department (mental retardation)

The purpose of the current research is recognizing the effect of an electronic learning environment based on knowledge economy competencies on developing the twenty- first century skills of science student teachers in special education department (mental retardation). The research was applied on a sample of forty students. A set of research instruments and materials was designed to prepare the electronic learning environment. This set included a questionnaire to determine the experiences and the reality of educational sources and resources, the flow map and the scenario of electronic learning environment, a questionnaire of matching the environment to the design criteria, student guide, teacher`s guide, the electronic learning environment, and using of the steps of the educational design in terms of: analysis, design, production, utilization, and evaluation to prepare the electronic learning environment. The research instruments were prepared to include the cognitive aspect test, practical performance observation checklist, self- efficiency measures, and measures of the trend towards electronic environment. The experimental one- group approach was followed which includes the pre- administration of the research instruments, the treatment, and the post- administration of the research instruments on the research sample. The results showed that there are statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental group students on the pre- and post- administrations of research instruments in favor of the post- administration. In other words, the electronic learning environment had a great effect on developing twenty- first century skills of the research sample of science student teachers in special education department at the faculty of education. A number of recomendations was recommended.The most important recomendations are the necessity of linking between knowledge economy competencies and twenty first century skills as the competencies become important to prepare  student teachers of special education department and its majors and the necessity of developing teacher preparation programs of special education department in the light of knowledge economy competencies.