Determining the Cognitive Structures of Geography Teacher Candidates Related to Energy Resources

Abstract

This study aims to determine the cognitive structures of the geography teacher candidates studying at the 4th grade of the department of teaching geography related to the energy resources using Word Association Test (WAT). The universe of the study is the last grade students of the geography teaching department at 2016-2017 academic year and the sample of the study constitutes 36 last grade students studying in a geography teaching department at a university. It played an effective role in selecting the sample if students took lessons about energy resources. In the research, words such as fossil fuels, nuclear energy, wind energy, geothermal energy and solar energy were chosen as key concepts. A survey model was used to identify the current situation of the study. The analysis of the data was carried out by using the frequency count, which is one of the descriptive analysis techniques. Each of the key concepts was written on a different paper and they were written 10 times as one is written under the other. Before the study was carried out, the word association test was introduced to the students and some sample works were carried out. Then it is required from teacher candidates to write the words that these key concepts evoke in their minds within 30 seconds. A frequency table was created by evaluating the obtained data. Concept words were examined in detail and concept networks were formed in the direction of the cut-off points. The relevant sample sentences of the teacher candidates were examined and classified according to their characteristics.