Tendencies in Educational Philosophy and Perceptions of Learning Environment: A Research on Undergraduate Students

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between educational philosophy tendencies and learning environment perceptions of undergraduate students of child development and preschool education departments. This cross-sectional study applied a correlational research model to address the research questions at hand. A total of 445 undergraduate students participated in the current study. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) have been utilized in data analysis. It has been observed that students in the faculty of applied sciences (2,59) show less inclination towards essentialist philosophy, whereas students in the faculty of education (2,67) are more likely to adopt it. Among students, progressive philosophy (4,50; 4,52) is found to be the most commonly adopted philosophical approach, while perennial (3,68; 3,63) and essentialist (2,59; 2,67) philosophies are less frequently adopted. Those students who take philosophy courses have higher perceptions of their learning environment (x=3,65, sd=,78, t=2,897), and it is understood that their perception is closely related to their educational philosophical tendencies. The significant effect (p < 0.001) of the Essentialist tendency on learning activities (r: 0.25) and evaluation (r: 0.28) may be due to this approach's focus on structured learning processes that emphasize fundamental knowledge and skills. The significant effect (p < 0.001) of the perennialist tendency on learning activities (r: 0.29) and evaluation (r: 0.20) may be an indication of teachers who adopt classical teaching methods and learning processes based on universal values. The significant effect (r: 0.19; p < 0.001) of the reconstructivist tendency on learning activities and evaluation shows that this approach embraces critical thinking and learning processes focused on social transformation. The progressive tendency (r: 0.14; p < 0.001) on learning activities indicates that this approach adopts student-centered, experiential, and problem-solving learning processes.