Social Studies Teacher Trainees’ Comprehension Level of Climate, Wind, Temperature, Precipitation, Erosion, Ecology and Map Concepts

Abstract

This study aims to determine social studies teacher trainees’ comprehension level of climate, wind,
temperature, precipitation, erosion, ecology and map concepts as part of the geography teacher training curriculum. The
study was carried out with 200 teacher trainees studying at primary school social studies teaching departments of Selcuk
University, Gazi University, Adıyaman University, Uşak University and Niğde University during 2008-2009 spring
semester. Participant teacher trainees were asked to define these aforementioned concepts used in social studies teaching.
The research is a qualitative study which aims to describe social studies teacher trainees’ comprehension levels of these
concepts. As a data collection tool an open ended questionnaire, titled ‘Some Concepts Related to Geography’, was used.
Collected data were analyzed by frequencies and percentages. As a result of the study, it was found that teacher trainees
were not able to define and comprehend the concepts of Climate, Wind, Temperature, Precipitation, Erosion, Ecology
and Map accurately