Investigation of Preschool Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes Towards Learning and Their Entrepreneurship Levels

Author :  

Year-Number: 2014-Volume 6, Issue 3
Language : null
Konu : null

Abstract

Since learning to learn and entrepreneurship as lifelong learning competencies get importance, it is expected from teacher candidates to have positive attitudes towards learning and to be entrepreneur. Owing to this, it was aimed to investigate preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and their entrepreneurship levels in terms of various variables in addition to determine the effect of their attitudes towards learning on their entrepreneurship levels. The research was carried out via participation of 170 teacher candidates having been educated at department of preschool education at Mersin University. “Atitude Scale towards Learning” developed by Kara to determine teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and “Entrepreneurship Scale for Undergraduate Students” developed by Yılmaz and Sünbül to determine their entrepreneurship levels were used. Descriptive statistics was done to determine preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and their entrepreneurship levels. Tests of differentiation among means was carried out to define whether differentiation occurs in preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes and perceptions on entrepreneurship levels according to such variables as gender, grade and the frequency of use of ICT for learning. Path analysis was carried out to state the effect of preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning on their perception about entrepreneurship levels by using Lisrel Program. The findings of the study indicated preschool teacher candidates’ positive attitudes towards learning and high perceptions on entrepreneurship. Moreover, it was concluded that attitude towards learning wasn’t a variable affecting entrepreneurship level.

Keywords

Abstract

Since learning to learn and entrepreneurship as lifelong learning competencies get importance, it is expected from teacher candidates to have positive attitudes towards learning and to be entrepreneur. Owing to this, it was aimed to investigate preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and their entrepreneurship levels in terms of various variables in addition to determine the effect of their attitudes towards learning on their entrepreneurship levels. The research was carried out via participation of 170 teacher candidates having been educated at department of preschool education at Mersin University. “Atitude Scale towards Learning” developed by Kara to determine teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and “Entrepreneurship Scale for Undergraduate Students” developed by Yılmaz and Sünbül to determine their entrepreneurship levels were used. Descriptive statistics was done to determine preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning and their entrepreneurship levels. Tests of differentiation among means was carried out to define whether differentiation occurs in preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes and perceptions on entrepreneurship levels according to such variables as gender, grade and the frequency of use of ICT for learning. Path analysis was carried out to state the effect of preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards learning on their perception about entrepreneurship levels by using Lisrel Program. The findings of the study indicated preschool teacher candidates’ positive attitudes towards learning and high perceptions on entrepreneurship. Moreover, it was concluded that attitude towards learning wasn’t a variable affecting entrepreneurship level.

Keywords


  • Adedoyin, O. O. (2010). Factor analytic study of teachers’ perceptions on self efficacy in Botswana junior secondary schoos: Implications for educational quality. Eur. J. Educ. Stud., 2, 139-155.

  • Aktürk, A. O. (2012). Öğretmen adaylarının öğrenmeye ilişkin tutumlarının öğretmenlik mesleğini tercih etme nedenlerine ve akademik başarılarına göre incelenmesi. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi (KEFAD), 13(3), 283-297.

  • Anderson, J. C. & Gerbing, D. W. (1984). The effect of sampling error on convergence, improper solutions, and goodness of fit indices for maximum likelihood comfirmatory factor analysis. Psychometrika, 49, 155‐173 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02294170.

  • Arslantaş, C. C. (2001). Girişimcilikte yaratıcılık ve yenilik. İ.Ü. İşletme Fakültesi İşletme İktisadi Enstitüsü Yönetim Dergisi, 12(38), 17-23.

  • Atkin, C. (2000). Lifelong learning attitudes to practice in the rural context: A study using bourdieu’s perspective of habitus. Int. J. Lifelong Education, 19(3), 253-265.

  • Avrupa Komisyonu (2007). Directorate-general for education and culture. Key competences for lifelong learning European reference framework. Brussels, Belgium, ec lifelong learning programme. Retrieved November 2, 2011 from http://ec.europa.eu /dgs/ education_culture/publ/pdf/ll-learning/keycomp_en.pdf.

  • Avrupa Komisyonu (2011). Mapping of teachers' preparation for entrepreneurship education. Final report. Brussels: GHK. Retrieved October 6, 2013 from http://ec.europa.eu/education/moreinformation/doc/2011/mapping_en.pdf.

  • Bagnall, R. G. (2006). Lifelong learning and the limits of tolerance. Int. J. Lifelong Education, 25(3), 257-269.

  • Baptiste, I. (1999). Beyond lifelong learning: A call to civically responsible change. Int. J. Lifelong Educ., 18(2), 94-102.

  • Başer, H. ve Büber, R. (2012). İş kurma amacı olan adayların girişimcilik özelliklerinin ölçülmesi: Aydın İli’nde bir uygulama. Sosyal ve Beşeri Bilimler Dergisi, 4(1), 135-143.

  • Bayraktar, S. (2011). Turkish preservice primary school teachers’ science teaching efficacy beliefs and attitudes towards science: The effect of a primary teacher education program. Sch. Sci. Math., 111, 83-92.

  • Bennett, R (2006). Business lecturers’ perception of the nature of entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, 12(3) 165-188.

  • Braten, I. & Stromso H. (2006). Epistemological beliefs, interest, and gender as predictors of internet-based learning activities. Computers in Human Behavior, 22, 1027-1042.

  • Cole, D. A. (1987). Utility of confirmatory factor analysis in test validation research. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 1019‐1031.

  • Çetinkaya Bozkurt, Ö. (2011). Dünyada ve Türkiye’de girişimcilik eğitim: Başarılı girişimciler ve öğretim üyelerinden öneriler. Ankara: Detay Yayıncılık.

  • Çokluk, Ö., Şekercioğlu, G. ve Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2012). Sosyal bilimler için çok değişkenli istatistik SPSS ve LISREL uygulamaları. (2. Baskı). Ankara: Pegem Akademi.

  • Çoşkun Diker, Y. ve Demirel, M. (2012). Üniversite öğrencilerinin yaşam boyu öğrenme eğilimleri. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 42, 108-120.

  • Daft, R. L. (2005). The leadership experience. Third Edition, Canada: Thomson South-Western College Publishing.

  • Dam, K. V. Schipper, M. & Runhaar, P. (2010). Developing a competency-based framework for teachers’entrepreneurial behaviour. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 965-971.

  • Demirel, M. (1-3 Mayıs, 2009). İlköğretim programlarına yaşam boyu öğrenme becerileri açısından eleştirel bir bakış. I. Uluslararası Eğitim Araştırmaları Kongresi, Çanakkale, Tam Metin Bildirileri Kitabı, 1-25.

  • Dixon, R., Meier, R. L., Brown, D. C. & Cluster, R. L. (2005). The Critical entrepreneurial competencies required by instructors from institution-based enterprises: A Jamaican study. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 42(4), 26-51.

  • Dowling, D., Dowling, S., Dowling, C., Fisser, P., Grabowska, A., Hezemans, M., Kendall, M., Mihnev, P., Ritzen, M., Syslo, M. M. & Weert, T. J. V. (2003). Lifelong learning in the digital age (Focus Group Report). IFIP International Federation for Information Processing, 1-49.

  • Drucker, P. F. (1998). The Discipline of innovation. Harvard Business Review, 76(6), 149-160.

  • Duarte, A. M. (2007). Conceptions of learning and approaches to learning in Portuguese students. Higher Education, 54(6), 781-794.

  • Elçi, Ş. (2011). Gelecek için eğitim programları ve politikaları. In TED (Ed.), Uluslararası eğitim forumu II: Eğitimde inovasyon (69-73), Ankara: İşkur Matbaacılık Kağ. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

  • Eurostat (2005). Europe in figures. Retrived August 8, 2011 from http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu.

  • Eurostat (2007). Demographic outlook: National reports on demographic developments in 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu.

  • Geisler, E. (1993). Middle managers as internal corporate entrepreneurs: An unfolding agenda. Interfaces, 23(6), 52-63 http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.23.6.52.

  • Gencel, İ. E. (2013). Öğretmen adaylarının yaşam boyu öğrenme yeterliklerine yönelik algıları. Eğitim ve Bilim, 38(170), 238-252.

  • Gregov, Z., Cvitanovic, V. & Zanic, V. (2011). The analysis of certified teachers/trainers of entrepreneurship in Croatia. The 5th International Scientific Conference, Entrepreneurship and Macroeconomic Management: Reflections on the World in Turmoil. Pula, Croatia, March 24th-26th, Conference Proceedings, 1, 433-454.

  • Günüç, S., Odabaşı, H. F. ve Kuzu, A. (2012). Yaşam boyu öğrenmeyi etkileyen faktörler. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 11(2), 309 -325.

  • Heinonen, J. & Poıkkıjokı, S. A. (2006). An enterpreneurial directed approach to enterpreneurship education: Mission impossible? J. Manage. Dev., 25, 80-94.

  • Herron, L. (1992). Cultivating corporate entrepreneurs. Human Resource Planning, 15(4), 3- 14.

  • Hisrich, R. D., Peters, M. P. & Shepherd, D. A. (2005). Entrepreneurship. Sixth Edition. New York: McGraw- Hill.

  • Hitt, M. A., Black, J. S. & Porter, L. W. (2005). Management. New Jersey: International Edition Pearson Prentice-Hall.

  • İrmiş, A. ve Özdemir, L. (2011). Girişimcilik ve yenilik ilişkisi. Yönetim Bilimleri Dergisi, 9(1), 139-161.

  • Johnson, M. (2004). New roles for educators. Milken Family Foundation. Retrieved August 24, 2012 from http://www.mff.org.edtech.

  • Johnson, T. L. & Hayes, C. (1996). Wanted: Entrepreneurial skills. Black Enterprise, 26(9), 62- 63.

  • Kara, A. (2009). The effect of a ‘learning theories’ unit on students’ attitudes toward learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(3), 100-113.

  • Kara, A. (2010). Öğrenmeye ilişkin tutum ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi. Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 9(32). 49-

  • Karadeniz, Y. (2010). Türkiye’de girişimcilik eğitimi. Retrieved from February 8, 2013 from http://vizyon21yy.com/documan/Egitim_Ogretim/ Onemli_Gunler_Kuruluslar /Girisimcilik_Haftasi /Turkiyede_Girisimcilik_Egitimi.pdf.

  • Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. NY: Guilford Publications, Inc.

  • Lope Pihie, Z. A. & Bagherı, A. (2011). Are teachers qualified to teach enterpreneurship? Analysis of enterpreneurial attitude and self-efficacy. Journal of Applied Sciences, 11(18), 3308-3314 63 http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/jas.2011.3308.3314.

  • Marsh, H. W., Balla, J. R. & Mcdonald, R. P. (1988). Goodness‐of‐fit indexes in confirmatory factor analysis: The effect of sample size. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 391‐410.

  • Marsh, H. W. & Hocevar, D. (1988). A new more powerful approach to multitrait‐multimethod analyses: Application of second‐order confirmatory factor analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 73, 107‐117.

  • Morris, M. H., Kuratko, D. F. & Covın, J.G. (2011). Corporate enterpreneurship & innovation. USA: Cengage Learning.

  • Mueller, S. & Thomas, A. S. (2001). Culture and entrepreneurial potential: A nine country study of locus of control and innovativeness. Journal of Business Venturing, 16(1), 51-75.

  • Odabaşı, F. (2004). Girişimcilik. Eskişehir: Anadolu Üniversitesi.

  • Peltonen, K. (2008). Can learning in teams help teachers to become more enterpreneurial? The interplay between efficacy perceptions and team support. LTA, 3, 297-324.

  • Raıchaudhurı, A. (2005). Issues in entrepreneurship education. Decision, 32(2), 73-84.

  • Seikkula-Leıno, J., Ruskovaara, E., Ikävalko, M., Mattıla, J. & Rytkölä, T. (2009). Teachers as learners promoting entreprenuership education. Paper submitted to the 20th Biannual NFF Conference “Business as Usual” (August 19-21), Finland. Retrieved February 10, 2013 from http:// developmentcentre. lut.fi/ files/ muut/ NFF_2009.pdf.

  • Selvi, K. (2011). Tecahers’ lifelong learning. Uluslararası Eğitim Programları ve Öğretim Çalışmaları Dergisi, 1(1), 61-69.

  • Sen, H. Ş. (2013). The attitudes of university students towards learning. International Journal of Academic Research, 5(4), 338-342.

  • Smith, A. J., Collıns, L. A. & Hannon, P. D. (2006). Embedding new enterpreneurship programmes in UK higher education institutions: Challenges and considerations. Educ. Training, 48, 555-567.

  • Souitarıs, V., Zerbınatı, S. & Al-Laham, A. (2007). Do entrepreneurship programmes raise entrepreneurial intention of science and engineering students? The effect of learning, inspiration and resources. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(4), 566-591.

  • Stevenson, H. H. & Jarıllo-Mossı, J. C. (1986). Preserving enterpreneurship as companies grow. Journal of Business Strategy, 10.

  • Sümer, N. (2000). Yapısal eşitlik modelleri. Türk Psikoloji Yazıları, 3(6), 49-74.

  • Şahin, M., Akbaşlı, S. ve Yanpar Yelken, T. (2010). Key competences for lifelong learning: The case of prospective teachers. Educational Research and Review, 5(10), 545-55.

  • Tabachnick, B. G. & Fıdell, L. S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics. Needham Heights, Allyn & Bacon.

  • Tagraf, H. ve Halis, M. (2008). Üniversitelerdeki girişimcilik eğitiminin “girişimsel öz yetkinlik” algısı üzerindeki etkisi: Bir araştırma. Retrieved July 18, 2013 from http://girisim.comu.edu.tr/dergiall/eskisyilr/3in2/h.tagraf,%20m.h.pdf.

  • Tan, C. L. & Morrıs, J. S. (2006). Undergraduate college students, laptop computers, and lifelong learning. The Journal of General Education, 54(4), 316-338.

  • Yılmaz, E. ve Sünbül, A. M. (2009). Üniversite öğrencilerine yönelik girişimcilik ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi. Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 21, 196-203.

  • Zhao, H., Seıbert, S. E. & Hılls, G. E. (2005). The mediating role of self-efficacy in the development of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(6), 1265-1272.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        
  • Article Statistics