Investigating Attitudes toward Instructional Principles and Methods Course of Pedagogical Formation Students: Inonu University Case

Abstract

The purpose of this study is investigating the attitudes toward Teaching Principles and Methods course of pedagogical formation students at Inonu University. For this purpose, data was collected via "Attitude Scale for Teaching Principles and Methods Course" (MEB, 2012) from 368 students that are voluntary for applying to this research, in the 2014-2015 spring semester. At the last week of the semester, before the final examinations the attitude scale was applied to the students. The scale is composed of 21 statements that are from affective domain. The survey method was used in this paper. To set light to the attitude level of students, the single survey design was used. On the other side between-subjects survey method also preferred to investigate the variables that change students' attitude levels. Independent samples t-test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Man-Whitney U were used to determine differences; and Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient was calculated to determine associations. According to the results gender, previous faculty, ALES score preference and grade level change the attitude toward IPM course. But marital status doesn't change it. This result was concluded in the light of the background of literature. In the light of that conclusion, this study is seen to be in conflict with some previous studies respect for attitude levels of students, gender, previous faculty, ALES score preferences, and attitude-success correlation.