Value priorities of teacher candidates in the Education Faculty of Pamukkale University in Denizli, Turkey

Abstract

Problem Statement: Behavior is the visible conclusion of unseen values. More concretely, the teaching attitudes of teachers are affected by their values. The study of values is therefore fundamental to the study of teaching. If it is possible to understand the values of teachers, it is possible to estimate the teaching behaviors of teacher candidates. This will help identify which values of students are barriers to improving their teaching abilities and adjust the teaching cirricullums to resolve these issues before teacher candidates become teachers. An effort must be made to change the values that hinder the teaching abilities of teacher candidates and support them with values that will help them teach. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to explore the terminal and instrumental values that contribute to the formation of value types of teacher candidates. Method: The Schwartz Value Survey (SVS) was used to measure the values of the teacher students. The population of this study included 4856 students who attended different departments in the faculty of education. The data were collected from 498 students who were selected by a stratified random sampling technique. Questions guiding the study were: (1) What are the values of the education faculty students as future school teachers? (2) Are there any significant value differences between students who belong to various departments of the faculty? (3) Are the values affected by specific variables such as gender? Findings: Results indicated that 48% of female teacher candidates (156) and 41% of male teacher candidates (71) ranked family security terminal value as a supremely important value guiding their lives. When the teacher candidates are in their first three years of school, their first rank value preferences tend to be conservative values. However, when they reach the fourth class, their first rank value priorities shift to universal value type. All students except social sciences students preferred conservative values as primary values that direct their behaviors. Conclusion and Recommendations: It is necessary to develop universal values for teacher candidates. According to the findings, both female and male students noted conservative higher order value types. When they reach their fourth year, their first rank value priorities shift to universal value type. Students studying in the department of social sciences primarily preferred a universal value called “a world at peace.”. © 2016, Ani Publishing. All rights reserved.