Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine the clustering tendency of mathematics teacher candidates their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to smoking. In addition, the power of predicting the mathematical success of prospective teachers in this study was searched. In the study, a relational screening model was chosen at the point where the data describing the relationship between the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of prospective teachers about cigarette smoking and mathematics success were obtained.  The research group formed 148 (41 females, 107 male) smoking prospective teachers of a state university located in the Southeastern Anatolian region, studying at the faculty of education, mathematics education program. The research data were collected through personal information form, smoking questionnaire and year-end math achievement averages. As a result of the Ward connection technique, which has an important role in obtaining optimum clusters from the clustering methods applied to the receive data, the smoking-related variables of teacher candidates are collected in three sets with similar characteristics. Related clusters are called "cognitive awareness on cigarette smoking", "cigarette addiction and effects" and "perceptual stimuli and environment for cigarette smoking" within the scope of the research purpose. A regression model was established in which the smoking attitude-behavioral clusters obtained as a result of the Ward clustering analysis were independent variables and mathematical success-dependent variables. As a result of multiple regression analysis, it was determined that these clusters accounted for about 55% of the mathematical success.

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