Investigation of the relationship between social studies teacher candidates' earthquake knowledge levels and earthquake risk perceptions

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between earthquake knowledge levels and earthquake risk perceptions of preservice Social Studies teachers. The research was conducted as a quantitative study using a relational survey model. The study group consists of a total of 114 preservice teachers studying at the Social Studies Teaching Department of the Faculty of Education, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University during the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, across first, second, third, and fourth grades. Data collection tools included a "personal information form" created by the researcher with expert opinions, the Earthquake Knowledge Level Scale developed by Genç and Sözen (2022), and the Earthquake Risk Perception Scale developed by Mızrak, Özdemir, and Aslan (2021). Participation in the study was based on voluntariness. The data obtained were analyzed using a quantitative statistical program. The analysis results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the earthquake knowledge levels and earthquake risk perceptions of Social Studies preservice teachers concerning the variables of "gender and age"; no differences were found in earthquake knowledge levels based on the "class" variable, however, differences were observed in earthquake risk perceptions; there were no significant differences concerning "parental education level, place of upbringing, and experience of earthquake disasters". Moreover, it was found that while "disaster education" variable led to a differentiation in "earthquake knowledge levels" of Social Studies preservice teachers, it did not cause a significant differentiation in "earthquake risk perceptions". Lastly, a simple linear correlation (Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient) was computed to determine whether there was a relationship between the earthquake knowledge levels and earthquake risk perceptions of the preservice teachers. The results revealed that the relationship was positive but not significant at a low level.