Investigating demographic characteristics and teaching perceptions of Turkish preschool teachers

Abstract

It is clear that teacher qualifications significantly affect the quality of teaching beliefs and education provided to young children and that higher qualifications in preschool teachers have both short‐ and long‐term positive effects on their students. This study was built on pre‐existing literature and new data to analyse the current socio‐demographic characteristics and perceptions of teaching candidates entering the field of Preschool Education in Turkey. A questionnaire consisting of fixed‐response and Likert‐style questions was administered to all entry‐level pre‐bachelor and bachelor preschool student teachers enrolled in the Vocational School of Social Sciences (n = 120) and Faculty of Education of Selcuk University (n = 107) during the 2004–2005 academic year as well as cooperating teachers (n = 90) currently working in Konya. The aim was to obtain information regarding their background characteristics and perceptions of preschool teaching as a profession. Results indicate that significant differences exist between pre‐service (pre‐bachelor and bachelor) and cooperating preschool teachers' perceptions of the teaching profession. Implications for pre‐service and cooperating teacher education and further research are discussed.