Investigation of educational philosophies and general self-efficacy perceptions of graduate students in educational sciences programs

Abstract EN

The purpose of the research is to determine the educational philosophy orientations and general self-efficacy perceptions adopted by graduate students in educational sciences programs.

This study was designed a correlational survey model.

The study group consisted of 128 graduate students enrolled in educational science programs in different universities.

Two different scales were used as data collection tool in the research.

The first is the Philosophical Orientation Evaluation Scale adapted to Turkish by Doğanay and Sarı (2003).

The second scale is adapted into Turkish by Aypay (2010) to determine the general self-efficacy perceptions of graduate students.

Frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation; Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis H-Test were used in data analysis.

As a result, it was observed that 96 (75%) of 128 graduate students adopted the educational philosophies of experientalism and followed by the philosophies of realism, perennialsm, existentialism and idealism, respectively.

A significant difference has been determined in favor of teachers in the profession variable, idealism and realism sub-dimensions of graduate students’ philosophical orientation scores.

It was also clarified that the philosophical orientation scores of students differed significantly in favor of graduate students in the sub-dimensions of philosophy of perennialism and idealism according to the graduate program level.

Based on the reasons of these educational philosophy orientations, in depth studies based on different variables may be carried out with a broader participation.

It may also be suggested to conduct qualitative researches based on the processes and problems experienced by graduate students in both professions.

The draft version of this study was presented as an oral presentation in the 3rd National Congress of Curriculum & Instruction, 07-09 May 2014, Gaziantep.