Abstract

This study was conducted in order to examine the views of preschool teachers and teacher candidates about the concepts of learning and participation, and to explore how they perceive the relationship between the two. The study group comprised of 10 preschool teachers working at formal preschools located in Afyonkarahisar and affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and 10 teacher candidates who were senior students at Afyon Kocatepe University Education Faculty’s Department of Early Childhood Education. Using the qualitative research method of phenomenology, the study collected its data through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by using content analysis under four themes: views about learning, views about participation, views about the relationship between participation and learning, and views about requirements for participation and learning.

Key words: Learning, participation, preschool teacher, preschool teacher candidate.