Examination of the Attitudes of Preschool Teacher Candidates and Teacher Candidates in Other Branches Towards Scientific Research in Terms of Some Variables

Fatma Yasar Ekici

doi:10.12973/eu-jer.6.1.1

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify">The main objective of this study is to examine the attitudes of preschool teacher candidates and teacher candidates in other branches towards scientific research in terms of some variables. Survey method was used. The study group consists of 547 teacher candidates studying in education faculty of a private university in the spring term of 2015-2016 in Istanbul province. Personal Information Form, Scale of Attitude towards Scientific Research were used as data collection tool. According to the results; Preschool teacher candidates’ levels of reluctance to help researchers and negative attitudes towards research are lower when compared to Turkish language teacher candidates. Preschool teacher candidates’ positive attitudes towards researchs and researchers are higher when compared to Turkish language teacher candidates. Guidence and psychological counselor candidates’ negative attitudes towards research are lower when compared to Turkish language teacher candidates. The levels of reluctance to help researchers of male teacher candidates are higher when compared to female teacher candidates. Negative attitudes towards research of the teacher candidates who do not take the course of scientific research methods are higher when compared to the teacher candidates who take the research methods course. The teacher candidates’ attitudes towards research do not vary by age, grade level and the academic success average.</p>

Highlights

It is observed that the scientific development levels of the modern countries around the world which are regarded to be developed are advanced because the countries tend to take being advanced in science as a basis for ensuring the welfare and development of the societies
The main objective of this study is to examine the attitudes of preschool teacher candidates and teacher candidates in other branches towards scientific research in terms of some variables
The preschool teacher candidates’ levels of reluctance to help researchers are lower when compared to Turkish language teacher candidates

Summary

Introduction

It is observed that the scientific development levels of the modern countries around the world which are regarded to be developed are advanced because the countries tend to take being advanced in science as a basis for ensuring the welfare and development of the societies. The way to ensure development in science and to overcome the obstacles before the countries in the way of becoming a “modern and developed” society is proportional to the contribution they provide to the scientific research culture. It is necessary for societies’ attitudes towards scientific research to be positive and at an improvable level (Polat, 2014). Research is regarded to be the cornerstone of scientific developments (Marczyk at al., 2005). One of the most characteristic qualities of the scientific research is that it consists of a number of steps following each other. The research process starting with the perception of a problem includes determining the methods to be followed and fulfilling the requirements, collecting the data, processing the data, developing result and recommendations that will form a solution to a problem based on the data, recording the process and the result achieved (Madsen, 1991; Cone & Foster, 1993; Bolker, 1998; Llewellyn, 2002)

Objectives

Methods

Results