Geography Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of Geotourism

Abstract

Accepted: 17.02.2014 This study examines geography teacher candidates’ perceptions of geotourism. Qualitative phenomenological method of study has been used to understand the geography teacher candidates’ perceptions of geotourism. Semi-structured interviews have been used to report the participants’ perceptions about geotourism. Interviews have been carried out with 100 volunteer geography teacher candidates at Marmara University Faculty of Education, Department of Geography in Istanbul in 2013-2014 academic year. At the evaluation stage, an inductive content analysis has been carried out. In order to analyze the data, teacher candidates’ definitions have been categorized, and the frequency of each category has been determined. The research results indicate that teacher candidates look upon geotourism as the tourism activity that is carried out in order to see on site the landforms, the structure of the earth, geological and geomorphological formations. Geography teacher candidates rate ecotourism as a more comprehensive type of tourism that also includes geotourism. Geography teacher candidates think that people have negative attitudes and behaviors towards cultural heritage in Turkey. Geotourism applications provide an opportunity for the sustainable development of rural areas.