Tokcan, HalilTopkaya, Yavuz2024-11-072024-11-0720181694-72151694-7215https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/tr/yayin/detay/320544https://hdl.handle.net/11480/13623The present study aims to reveal prospective teachers’ cognitive structure about the Middle Eastthrough Word Association Technic (WAT). Research sample consisted of 420 prospectiveteachers studying at Ömer Halisdemir University Education Faculty and Kilis 7 AralikUniversity Education Faculty. Data were collected through WAT. As result of WAT, frequencytable including key concepts and answer words was prepared. According to this frequency tableconcept network were drawn by the researcher. Results indicated that the prospective teachersmostly associated the Middle East with oil and war. This finding is similar to previous studiesconducted through prospective social studies teachers. Moreover perception of the Middle Eastamong the participant prospective teachers varies between the universities. Prospective teachersfrom Ömer Halisdemir University generally associate the Middle East with general words suchas Saddam Hussain, Egypt, Turkey, weapon, Arab Spring, kingdom-sheikh while the participantprospective teachers from Kilis 7 Aralik University mostly associate the Middle East withdeath, massacre, bomb, rocket, poverty, section clashes, and dictator. In other words, it can beconcluded that while the prospective teachers have general knowledge about the Middle East,the prospective teachers studying in Kilis 7 Aralik University have perception based ongeography where they live, and experience that they underwent. This finding can be viewed as aproof that living place influence perception. Furthermore, it can be concluded that WAT iseffective way in disclosing cognitive structure of individuals.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessEğitimEğitim AraştırmalarıAsya ÇalışmalarıKültürel ÇalışmalarArticle724557320544