Abstract

This study investigated Chinese and Turkish prospective geography teachers’ use of computer and internet applications as indispensable instruments in and out of education. 292 prospective geography teachers students from Shanghai, China, and Izmir, Turkey, participated in this study. The aim of this study was to examine the use of computers and internet by prospective teachers in both Turkey and China. Hence, this study aimed to propound the similarities and disparities between Turkish and Chinese geography students in computer and internet use. The results of this research show that there are meaningful differences between prospective geography teachers in Turkey and China in terms of purpose of computer and internet usage. Although both Turkish and Chinese prospective geography teachers have used most “education aimed media” Turkish female prospective teachers in Turkey have been using the internet and the computer less than those of its Chinese counterparts. In addition, this research showed with the use of observation, interview and literature review that while internet use of prospective geography teachers in Turkey is largely affected by social-economic and cultural factors, the use of the internet of those in China is decided by political decisions taken by the Chinese   government.

Key words: Prospective geography teacher, computer and internet, gender.