Bayreuth University Geography Teaching Department Student' Perception of Turkey

Abstract

This survey has been carried out with the aim of identifying how the undergraduate as well as postgraduate students studying geography at Bayreuth University in Germany perceive Turkey's physical and human geography. In order to obtain this information, student attending different classes from the geograph department of the Faculty of Chemistry, Biyology and Earth Science at Bayreuth University have been choosen randomly. While the student are being choosen, e-mail network built by the university has been used. Selection of the students has been depended on the voluntearing. From this department 25 undergraduate and 25 postgraduate students of totaly 50 students have participated in the survey. In accordance with the results of the findings attained in this research, undergraduate students gave true answer nearly % 93,1 of 7 questions asked in physical geography realm. If we look at the success in the field of human geography, % 56,6 is the average of 13 question when two subjective questions have been omitted. In companion with the physical geography (% 93,1), the realm of human geography (% 56,6) is % 36,5 behind. This situation points out that perception in physical realm is high; on the other hand, in human geography, the perception is not so good as that of the physical one. On evaluating the whole survey, it seems that the average is % 64,4 and it is also above the general average. This indicates that they have moderate information about Turkey. The perception of the postgraduate students in terms of political geography is really high and positive. % 52 of the participants in the field of transportation geography have no idea about this matter. As for economic geography % 72 of those joining concerning the perception of Turkey have a tendency of being content. % 64 of the participants have not got any idea referring the educate system in Turkey. Perception in cultural geography are inclined to be positive, as well. They possess % 96 positive perception with regard to tourism geography. Findings which have been obtained in terms of this matter have been discussed by to the literature and have given advices.