Values of pre-service music teachers in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the representation of values among pre-service music teachers. The study group consisted of 278 pre-service music teachers studying at state universities in different regions of Turkey. The study was conducted using an instrument for measuring teachers' values which had already been applied in other research. Generally speaking, the most important values for pre-service music teachers are social values, freedom, career, intellectual and honor of humanity, while the least important values are spiritual and romantic. It might be concluded that there is a significant difference in the sub-dimensions honor of humanity, and career values and spirituality in favor of girls and in favor of those aged 27 and over. Significant differences were found in the sub-dimensions of materialistic values in favor of participants whose parents have a higher income, and romantic values in favor of participants with parents with a medium and low-income level. As regards materialistic values, a sub-dimension of the values scale, it was observed that students with illiterate fathers and students with undergraduate fathers differed significantly. The relationships between the sub-dimensions of the value scale are statistically significant and positive (p<0.01). Only the relationship between the romantic values and futuwwat/munificence & courage sub-dimensions decreased at the (p<0.05) level. In accordance with these findings the paper offers recommendations for improving preservice teacher education so that teachers can critically asses and reconsider their own values, but also tend to develop values that are in accordance with contemporary educational standpoints.