Examination of Physical Education Teacher Candidates’ Cognitive Levels About the Concept of Environment With Word Association Test

Authors : Neşe Döne Akkurt

Pages : 467-479

Doi:10.15314/tsed.1691500

View : 99 | Download : 169

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study aimed to determine the cognitive structures of physical education and sports teacher candidates regarding the concept of environment through a word association test. The research was conducted with a total of 68 teacher candidates receiving education in the physical education and sports teaching department of Necmettin Erbakan University in the 2024-2025 academic year. A word association test was used to collect the research data. The concept of ‘environment’ was selected as the stimulus word in the word association test. The answers written by the teacher candidates were examined in 7 subcategories. It was determined that the physical education and sports teacher candidates associated the concept of \\\"environment\\\" with 142 different words. The strongest category in the cognitive structures of the physical education and sports teacher candidates regarding the concept of \\\"environment\\\" was the \\\"social cultural environment\\\" category. The findings obtained were discussed by comparing them with the relevant studies and inferences were made regarding environmental education. What we want to highlight in this study is the idea that environmental education is important at every stage of education for permanent behavioral change towards the environment. Since our physical education teacher candidates also have a very important place in this behavioral change, physical education and sports teacher education programs should be reviewed from this perspective.
Keywords : Cognitive Structure, Environmental Education, Physical Education, Word Association, Teacher Candidate

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL