Abstract
Science contest is one of the important programs of extracurricular school science activities which give various experience for science learning. In order to understand teachers' perceptions on science contests in elementary school, this study investigated teachers' awareness of science contests, perceptions and difficulties in carrying out science contests in each school, their perceptions on the preparing process of statewide science contest, and the preference of the types of preliminary science contests. 196 teachers were responded to survey, and 8 teachers were interviewed. The results showed that elementary teachers were aware of various science contests through their in-school experiences. The main difficulties of teacher on science contests was lack of professionalism on science and science contests. While teachers preferred the preliminary round of contest by contest's host to the preliminaries of science contest in each school. They also worried about the intimidation of science month's festival in schools. Based on the understanding of the teachers' perceptions on science contests, educational implications were discussed.