Graduate Students' Levels of Coping with Uncertainty

Abstract

It is imperative to note that education is facing extremely important changes in the modern society. In the past, education was perceived as an individual process, but it is now entering the interests of states and international organizations. Concepts like 'knowledge-based society, lifelong learning, and international education fields' appear to be a reflection of this change. It is difficult or may be unnecessary to predict with certain accuracy what is going to happen next. Education and teaching are forced to deal with chaos. This chapter describes a study in which the authors asked at what level graduate students in Hacettepe University and Gazi University are inclined to exhibit uncertainty-avoiding behaviors. Does the level of the inclination of the graduate students differ in accordance with the variables of age, gender and level of education? There is a significant difference between the groups considering the working experience of the graduate students in Hacettepe University and Gazi University from the aspect of their inclination level of exhibiting uncertainty avoiding behaviors. Uncertainty-avoiding behaviors could be acquired by the students in undergraduate and graduate period of their lives and for a longer period of time. Thus, it would be more effective in acquiring the desired behavior change.