Examining Secondary Education Students’ Cognitive Structures Related to Migration Types

Abstract

The research aimed to explore secondary education students’ cognitive structures related to migrationtypes. It used a survey research design and sampled 275 students studying at a public secondary educationinstitution. The data were collected using a word association test (wat) consisting of 7 key concepts. As aresult of the research, 7663 response words were produced for the 7 key concepts and 1925 relatedsentences were formulated. The research found that students’ cognitive structures related to migrationtypes are insufficient. The highest number of response words was matched with the key concept brain drain,while the lowest number was matched with transit migration. Among students’ sentences related to the keyconcepts, 392 contained scientific knowledge, 873 contained superficial knowledge, and 456 containedmisconceptions. Sentences containing scientific knowledge were mainly linked to the key concept braindrain. Sentences without scientific knowledge were mainly associated with the key concept transitmigration.