The Relationship Between Pre-service Teachers' University Preferences and the Sense of Belonging at the University

Abstract

The study was carried out in order to determine the university preferences of pre-service teacher and their level of belonging to the university, and to reveal the relationship between them. The “Preferring University Scale” developed by Apaydın and Seçkin-Kapucu (2017) was used to determine the reasons for pre-service teachers’ university preference, and the “Scale of Belonging to the University” developed by Kahraman (2013) to determine the level of belonging to the university.The level of pre-service teachers’ preference for university; While informing about the university, job opportunities, geographical location, financial opportunities, close acquaintances, educational material, students studying at the university are considered within the scope of the effect of high school education; students' university affiliation; were examined within the scope of expectation, motivation, and identification dimensions.Data were obtained from 271 pre-service teachers studying at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Education. The data obtained from the pre-service teachers were analyzed with the SPSS-23 program, t-Test, ANOVA tests and correlation analysis were used in the data analysis. When the results of the research were evaluated, it was determined that the mean scores of pre-service teachers regarding the level of preference and belonging to the university were at a moderate level. It was determined that the levels of pre-service teachers' preference and belonging to the university differed significantly according to the variables of gender, university department, reasons for choosing the university, place of residence, and the type of high school they graduated from. It has been determined that there is a moderate relationship between the reasons why pre-service teachers prefer the university and the level of belonging to the university.