Educational Alternatives ISSN 1314-7277, Volume 16, 2018 Journal of International Scientific Publications www.scientific-publications.net Page 159 DETERMINING THE VIEWS OF GEOGRAPHY TEACHER CANDIDATES ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF LANDSLIDE Tahsin Tapur*, Baştürk Kaya, Caner Aladağ Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education, 42090 Konya, Turkey Abstract The aim of this study is to determine the views of the geography teacher candidates about the concept of landslide. The data of the research were collected by using free word association test from 34 5 th grade students who are students at the department of Geography Education of Ahmet Keleşoğlu Education Faculty in Necmettin Erbakan University in 2016-2017 academic years. This study is a qualitative research and content analysis was used in the evaluation of the data. The obtained data were coded and categories were created after similar answers were put together. The number of answer words in each category and the frequency values of all answer words were calculated and then given in tables. In each category, the words which were repeated at least two times were given. The category of "the reasons that make up the landslides" has come to the forefront within these categories in terms of its number of answer words and their frequencies. The second category in terms of the number of repetition of answer words is the category named as "The relation between landslide and ground". As a result, it has been determined that the students have correct inferences about the concept of landslide and they can think academically, but the number of answer words and frequencies is low. Keywords: landslide, geography, cognitive structure, word association test 1. INTRODUCTION Natural disaster; is a natural phenomenon that results in loss of life, as well as serious economic and social damage, which develops in a completely natural form without any human influence, often in an instant or in a short period of time. In addition, there are long-term natural disasters such as global warming and erosion which can cause serious effects on human and natural environment in terms of their formation mechanism (Özgen, Ünaldı and Bindak, 2011). Disasters are also classified according to their occurrence. According to their occurrence, disasters are classified under two main groups: "sudden emergencies" (earthquake, flood, avalanche, landslide, volcanic eruptions, fires, etc.) and "insidious and persistent ones" (air pollution, drought, famine, war etc.). In general, disasters are classified into two main groups as "natural disasters" (earthquake, flood, avalanche, landslide, volcanic explosions, fires, etc.) and "unnatural human disasters" (wars, migrations, dam bursts etc.) (Yavaş, 2005). As the name implies, natural disasters are natural origins. Their formation is based mainly on nature, natural phenomena and natural characteristics. However, human affects can be found in some of these disasters. In fact, people can play a role in triggering these events. However, the factors that prepare these events and the preparation of the events are based on the natural features or events there (Sahin and Doğanay, 2000). Landslide, also known as earthsliding, is a phenomenon in which rocks, sediments and masses of earth are displaced along the slope under the influence of gravity. There are a variety of factors that prepare the formation of landslides. It is possible to collect these factors under two headings, natural factors and human factors (Öztürk, 2002). According to Şahin and Sipahioğlu (2003), the main reasons that play a very important role in the formation of landslides and facilitate their occurrence are; sufficient slope, water saturation, property of the main rock, tectonic structure and vegetation cover.